Environmental biosecurity webinars

Thursday 23 March 2023

Working with communities to encourage collaborative pest management - A feral deer case study
Dr Annelise Wiebkin, National Feral Deer Coordinator, PIRSA

Australia’s feral deer problem is increasing. In just 30 years, land managers in both rural and urban areas have seen feral deer go from being a novelty to being widespread in many parts of the country. Feral deer can be so damaging that many land managers believe they are emerging as ‘Australia’s next rabbit plague’. Feral deer impact our agricultural production, environmental and cultural assets, and pose risks to biosecurity and community safety.

Dr Annelise Wiebkin shares some perspectives on how everyone can work together to manage deer.

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Bug hunt - Engaging communities in citizen science for biosecurity
Lyall Grieve, Biosecurity and Conservation Policy Analyst, Invasive Species Council

Citizen science has been proven to work for collecting data on native biodiversity, but it has been harnessed much less for biosecurity purposes. Bugs are small and often elusive, which makes them hard for authorities to systematically monitor. There's a bunch of bugs that the Australian Government has identified as of particular concern if they were to arrive in Australia, because they could potentially spread very quickly, and decimate native biodiversity and/or agriculture. The Invasive Species Council is running the Bug Hunt to trial a few strategies to get more citizens and more eyes on the ground, looking for these particular bugs. We're on the lookout for non-native bees, all kinds of snails, and Yellow Crazy Ants in Townsville.

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How citizen science is supporting Australian biosecurity
Annie Lane, Chair, Australian Citizen Science Association

Biosecurity surveillance and monitoring is a tough gig when we can’t be across everything, everywhere, every minute of every day – but we can crowd source some of the load!

Citizen scientists have proven time and time again that they are an enthusiastic and now crucial resource when it comes to early detection of invasive species, providing updates on areas where pest management is taking place and supporting environmental biosecurity efforts across the country.

Annie Lane and her colleague Michelle Neil provide an update on some of the citizen science communities, methods and projects that are contributing to the theme of shared biosecurity culture.

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Thursday 11 May 2023

Wildlife Health Australia in the Australian One Health landscape
Dr Simone Vitali, Program Manager, Emergencies, Wildlife Health Australia

Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) is the coordinating body for wildlife health in Australia. With 70% of zoonotic diseases worldwide originating in wildlife (including the COVID-19 pandemic), there is increasing awareness internationally and within Australia of the importance of a One Health approach to disease management that includes wildlife. WHA has been promoting awareness of wildlife within the Australian One Health landscape for over 20 years. Dr Simone Vitali is Program Manager for Emergencies at WHA and shares some perspectives on how the activities of WHA support the One Health approach, and the challenges of bringing wildlife into the One Health framework.

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Successful invasive-species management cannot be done alone
Gillian Basnett, National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator, Centre for Invasive Species Solutions

The National Coordination model for invasive species management was brought about due to the recognition that effective, best-practice on-ground management needed a coordinated approach and support at the local, regional, state, and national level. The National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator is the most recent to be appointed, initiated through a partnership between the Australian Government and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, and backed by key stakeholders. The project aims to drive national feral cat and fox management coordination, increase participation in management, and motivation to control feral cats and foxes using best practice methods to reduce their impacts on native fauna, industry, and the environment, and help raise awareness of the impacts of feral cats and foxes. To achieve all this, strong partnerships are needed at the local to national level, and beyond.

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Assessing trends, drivers, impacts for better governance and global partnerships in protecting 1 million species from invasive ones
Dr Andy Sheppard, Co-Executive Director of DAFF-CSIRO Catalysing Australia's Biosecurity Initiative

The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is to the environment what the IPCC is to climate change. The IPBES Global Assessment, released in 2020, found that 1million species were threatened with extinction and listed invasive species as a top 5 threat. The IPBES Plenary commissioned the first Thematic Assessment on invasive species in 2019 to capture and assess global status and trends, drivers, impacts, management options for effectiveness of policy and governance instruments. Dr Andy Sheppard presents the basis and structure of the assessment.

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Friday 28 July 2023

Plant Health Australia’s Training Solutions
Naomi Wynn – Learning and Development Manager, Plant Health Australia

As custodians to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD), Plant Health Australia (PHA) has a keen focus on training to help improve awareness of the EPPRD, as well as biosecurity preparedness and emergency response capabilities of industry and government. In this presentation Naomi provides an overview of the recently revised Industry Liaison Officer training program as well as PHA’s training solutions which include elearning, simulation exercises and face-to-face or online workshops.

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The Biosecurity Training Centre: one year in!
Anthony Howden, Director, and David Mackay, Academic Director Biosecurity Training Centre, DAFF

The Biosecurity Training Centre was formed through a partnership between DAFF and the Charles Sturt University to provide professional training in biosecurity learning. Anthony and David discuss the formation, achievements, and future capabilities of the Biosecurity Training Centre.

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Indigenous Forest Health and Environmental Biosecurity
Aj Perkins, Project Officer in Aboriginal Community Engagement
Tilly Davis, Assistant Project Officer
The Indigenous Forest Health and Environmental Biosecurity project
Department of Planning and Environment, NSW.

Aj and Tilly’s work aims to increase understanding and consideration of the impact to First Nations communities relating to; plant species and their decline by plant pests and pathogens, and promoting the need for First Nations perspectives, input and traditional ecological knowledge. Their work also involves training Indigenous Ranger teams across south-east Queensland and north-east NSW. Their project delivers biosecurity training primarily focused on plant pest and diseases such as Myrtle rust. The Indigenous Forest Health and Biosecurity Project is delivered by NSW Department of Planning and Environment in Partnership with Queensland Department Agriculture and Fisheries and funded through the Environmental Biosecurity Office, DAFF.

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Thursday 21 September

Preparedness – Xylella
Dr Susie Collins, A/g Assistant Secretary, Plant Health Policy, DAFF

Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium that causes serious plant disease and infects many of the crops we rely on for food and fibre. More than 550 plant species are susceptible to Xylella, including Australia’s native plants. Xylella is rapidly spreading around the world. It is Australia’s number one plant biosecurity threat. Susie gives an overview of the biology of Xylella and the insect vectors that spread this high-risk exotic environmental pest. The impacts to agriculture and the environment are explored, and Susie provides examples of initiatives at the national and Commonwealth level which support Australia’s preparedness for Xylella.

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Response – Queensland’s National Fire Ant Eradication Program
Ashley Bacon, Program Executive, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) are considered one of the world’s most invasive pests with the potential to cause irreversible damage to our environment, economy, human health, and outdoor way of life. If left uncontrolled it is estimated that RIFA would cost the Australian economy $1.2 Billion each year. The National Fire Ant Eradication Program in South-East Queensland is a nationally cost-shared program tasked with containing and eradicating fire ants. This program is considered to be a world-leader in fire ant management. During this presentation, Ashley discusses the environmental impacts of RIFA and the new strategy designed to eradicate this significant pest.

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Tuesday 7 November 2023

Australia’s Biosecurity Levy
Jessica Mitchell, Assistant Secretary, Biosecurity Sustainable Funding, DAFF

In this presentation DAFF’s Assistant Secretary Jessica Mitchell discusses the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system as part of an uplift in the sustainability of Australian agriculture. Through the biosecurity sustainable funding budget package, the government is reforming its approach to funding Australia’s biosecurity system to make it sustainable for the long-term and more equitable across those who contribute to biosecurity risk and those who benefit from a strong biosecurity system.

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New Zealand’s national collective funding model for biocontrol of weeds
Shane Hona, Biosecurity Officer, Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana New Zealand

Since 2002, the National Biocontrol Collective (NBC) has funded weed biocontrol research in New Zealand. Comprised of regional councils, unitary authorities and the Department of Conservation; funding is pooled and decision-making on where to best focus resources is done collaboratively. Since its inception, 25 biocontrol agents have been released, targeting 14 different weed species. Shane presents from a regional perspective on the history, achievements, and challenges of the NBC. This presentation explores future challenges, how the delivery of biocontrol agents can be improved and potential options to increase the funding for research.

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Tuesday 12 December 2023

Funding biosecurity research
Richard Keane, Principal Director, Biosecurity Strategy and Reform, DAFF

DAFF is investing in building strong partnerships with biosecurity research organisations, industry, peak bodies, interest groups and the broader community. The Catalysing Australia's Biosecurity (CAB) is one such initiative to improve Australia’s biosecurity risk management through supporting technological and digital system transformation. CAB is being co-designed and co-developed between DAFF, CSIRO, and other biosecurity partners, and will support the research development and innovation outcomes in the National Biosecurity Strategy.

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Partnering with DAFF
Dr Andrew Turley, Biosecurity Data Analyst, Atlas of Living Australia

Early detection of new incursions of species of biosecurity concern is crucial to protecting Australia’s environment, agriculture, and cultural heritage. As Australia’s largest biodiversity data repository - hosting over 130 million occurrence records - the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is often the first platform where new species incursions are recorded. However, until recently there has been no systematic mechanism for notifying relevant biosecurity authorities of these biosecurity threats. To address this, the ALA partnered with the Environmental Biosecurity Office to develop the Biosecurity Alerts System. Two years on, the project has demonstrated the benefits of biosecurity alerts, but some barriers remain, and through CAB, ALA continues to work closely with the department to expand this service.

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1. Webinar 1 – Prevent – March 2022 (viostream.com)
2. Webinar 2 - Prevent – May 2022 (viostream.com)
3. Webinar 3 – Detect – June 2022 (viostream.com)
4. Webinar 4 – Respond – August 2022 (viostream.com)
5. Webinar 5 - Protect – September 2022 (viostream.com)
6. Webinar 6 – Protect – October 2022 (viostream.com)

1. Webinar 1 – Biosecurity, a weakness in one is a vulnerability to all. April 2021 (viostream.com)
2. Webinar 2 - Connecting the EEPL to the people – May 2021 (viostream.com)
3. Webinar 3 - Where there's a path there's a way – June 2021 (viostream.com)
4. Webinar 4 - Pests & ecosystems – exploring risks to forests and parklands – July 2021 (viostream.com)
5. Webinar 5 - Pests & ecosystems – exploring risks to marine and freshwater environments – August 2021 (viostream.com)
6. Webinar 6 - Pests & ecosystems - exploring risks to wildlife in their environments – September 2021 (viostream.com)
7. Webinar 7 - Opening the toolbox. Tools and technology for detection, control and eradication – October 2021 (viostream.com)
8. Webinar 8 - Indigenous Perspectives of environmental biosecurity – November 2021 (viostream.com)

1. Webinar 1 Biosecurity (viostream.com)
2. Webinar 2 - It's all about the people (viostream.com)
3. Webinar 3 - Flora, fauna (viostream.com)
4. Webinar 4 - Phytophthora (viostream.com)
5. Webinar 5 - Biosecurity risks in focus, contaminants and commerce (viostream.com)
6. Webinar 6 - Phytophthora (viostream.com)
7. Webinar 7 - Biosecurity in our backyard (viostream.com)
8. Webinar 8 - Myrtle Rust (viostream.com)