Environmental biosecurity is in everyone’s interest. We are surrounded by our environment, and all of us benefit from the many ecosystem services it provides. These services are globally recognised under four categories: Provisioning (food, fibre, natural resources), regulating (carbon storage, water purification, pollination), cultural (First Nations, recreation) and supportive services (photosynthesis, nutrient cycles, water cycle). It is because of this that we all have a role to play in protecting and enhancing the health of our environment.
Effective environmental biosecurity is only possible if we work together. It requires partnership and collaboration between governments, industry and the community working together to reduce the risk to Australia’s ecosystems from exotic pests, weeds and diseases. The Environmental Biosecurity Office engages with stakeholders from across Australia to build our capacity to prevent, detect and respond to environmental biosecurity risks. Our aim is to develop strong environmental biosecurity networks, improve awareness and education and encourage active participation in protecting our unique environment. Recent engagement activities by Environmental Biosecurity Office include:
- Hosting the Environmental Biosecurity Webinar series (2020 &2021).
- Supporting Australia’s membership of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
- Hosting the International Symposium on limiting the spread of contaminant pests (2020).
- Sponsoring the Australian Biosecurity Symposium (2019 & 2021).
- Engaging citizen science networks in environmental biosecurity efforts.
- Secretariat support for the Environmental Biosecurity Advisory Group.
- Driving collaboration through the Environmental Biosecurity Project Fund.
Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series
The Environmental Biosecurity Webinar Series began in July 2020 and has been focussed on raising awareness of work and research contributing to environmental biosecurity. Each webinar covers a particular theme with talks from experts, followed by a dedicated facilitated discussion session.
The objective of this year’s webinars is to promote The National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases and increase understanding of exotic environmental biosecurity risks and management of this risk.
After each webinar, related materials and recordings are made available on the 2021 webinar series info hub with participants invited to continue conversations in an online forum. For information regarding last year’s webinar series, please visit our 2020 webinar series Info hub.
If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page and you will be emailed joining information prior to each webinar.
Environmental Biosecurity Roundtables
From 2016-2020 the department held bi-annual Environmental Biosecurity Roundtables in Canberra and elsewhere around Australia. The events attracted attendees from around the country representing all tiers of government, land and NRM organisations, researchers, conservation groups and leading plant and animal health bodies. During the events participants shared knowledge, built valuable networks and discussed how we can work together to protect Australia’s environment, way of life and clean, green reputation from the threat of exotic pests and diseases.
Reports on previous environmental roundtables
2019
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2018
Download
2017
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