About

What is Forest Watch Australia?

Forest Watch Australia is a collaborative post-border surveillance program supported by key partners across government, industry and the community.

Forest Watch Australia surveillance activities are centred around areas at highest risk of exotic pest entry or establishement. These are usually areas around ports, airports and major tourist attractions. Surveillance in these areas includes insect pest trapping and visual surveillance of tree hosts known to be susceptible to the target exotic pest species.

The program is coordinated by Plant Health Australia and delivered by participating state based agencies or contractors. We also work with volunteer organisations that occasional provide surveillance or pest reports as part of their day-to-day activities (e.g.arborists) in exchange for the program providing annual training workshops and access to pest diagnostics or information.

What is our mission?

To enable the early detection of exotic tree pests and improve the rates of succesful eradication and thereby protect our native, urban or plantation forests.

Exotic tree pests and diseases that enter and establish in Australia have the potential to irreparably damage our native forest, urban forests and canopies and our productive timber plantations.

Why is this important?

Protecting Australia's native forests from the negative impacts of exotic invasive pests is vital to maintaining Australia's unique biodiversity and the health of key forest and woodland ecosystems. Healthy forests are less fire prone and capture more carbon over time.

Growing and protecting our urban forests is more important than ever, with urban forest canopies helping to cool our major cities, improve urban air quality and providing a range of human health benefits.

Similarly, protecting plantation forests from the damaging effects of exotic pests supports regional jobs and industries by ensuring the ongoing local production of sustainable wood and timber products.

What tree pests do we look for?

Forest Watch Australia is focused on surveillance for the early detection of high priority pests (HPPs) of trees that are exotic to Australia and could impact native forests, urban amenity trees and plantation forests.

A list of current target pest for surveillance is shown in the table and is updated regularly based on scientific and stakeholder advice.

The program uses traps with lures designed to attract specific insect pests.

Not all pests or pathogens are able to be trappped and therefore visual surveillance of tree hosts known to be suscetible to the target pests is also undertaken.

Visual surveillance enables the detection of unusual insects, pathogens, host symptoms and signs that may, on investigation, be of biosecurity significance. That is, detections are not limited to the exotics on the targets table.

The program also collects tree related pest reports provided by collaborating stakeholders such as arborists, botanic gardens, local council staff or community groups.

You can help by reporting unusual pests or signs of damage on trees in your local area.

How do I report a tree pest or sick looking trees?

Can I become involved with the program?

YES....We are always looking for new partners. Contact us to learn more about how you can help.