Status: Completed

Start date: 1 April 2018

Completion date: 1 August 2019

Project code: P01-I-001

Species/Threats: Multiple

Summary

Australia must understand its roles and responsibilities relating to preventing and detecting incursions of invasive animals and plants. That includes improving recognition of required actions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our responses to animal and plant incursions.
Beginning in 2017, the Invasive Plants and Animals Committee endorsed a project plan, then the National Incursion Prevention and Response Facilitator facilitated two key documents being developed: the Invasive Plan Framework and its accompanying Compendium (implementation manual). The committee endorsed these ‘living documents’ in 2019.

Key achievements

Outputs

  • National Incursion Prevention and Response Strategy for Potential Invasive vertebrates.
  • Emergency response invasive plan.
  • Fact sheet produced for exotic species capture.

Outcomes

  • Continued development of a practical management structure for consistent incursion management.
  • Enhanced capability and expertise.
  • Understanding of how to improve stakeholder/community support and engagement.

Impact

  • Improved efficiency of resource allocation for invasive species responses.
  • Reduced total impact costs of new incursions through more rapid and coordinated responses.
  • Reduced risk of environmental damage from the incursion and the exotic invasive species potentially becoming established.
  • Increased capacity of invasive species response managers.

Project team

Dr Malcolm Kennedy

Project Lead

Dr Michelle Christy

Project Lead

Ms Karina Keast

DAWR

Mr Adam Kay

VIC DEDJTR

Dr John Virtue

PIRSA

Project partners

The project received funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Project updates

August 2019

This project is now complete. For invasive species with environmental and social impacts, a nationally-consistent approach to responding to new incursions at a national, state or territory and local level is being put into action. A final draft of the National Vertebrate Incursion Prevention and Response Strategy 2019-2024 has been submitted to the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC).
An InvasivePlan Compendium was developed from the outcomes of the Invasive Plan Framework, literature searches and workshops. Engagement and awareness of the InvasivePlan and incursion science in general was delivered through presentations, interviews, articles and workshops.

February 2019

After a number of workshops this project has:

  • Completed a final draft of the National Vertebrate Incursion Prevention and Response Strategy (Strategy) 2019-2024 – this has now been submitted to the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC) who endorse the strategy.
  • Researched and developed the InvasivePlan Compendium based on the outcomes of the InvasivePlan Framework, literature searches, three workshops, and other collaborative activities.
  • Completed a National Vertebrate Incursion Data Summary (2016 and 2017) for jurisdictions to use for forward planning and community engagement and education purposes.
  • Collated and curated 2017 national incursion data in preparation of the National Vertebrate Incursion Data Summary 2016-2017.
  • Continued contribution at workshops and as Subject Matter Expert to the ABARES Priority List Assessment of Vertebrates process and list outcomes.
  • Researched and wrote technical paper on trapping options for the capture of at large corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) following a request from Biosecurity Queensland.

Scientific publications & reports

Christy, MT (2024) National Preparedness Plan: Asian Black-spined Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus). Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Canberra. https://invasives.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ABST-preparedness-plan.pdf

Christy M (2019) National National Incursion Prevention and Response Strategy for Potentially Invasive Vertebrates. A report for Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC). https://invasives.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/National-Vertebrate-Incursion-Prevention-and-Response-Strategy-FINAL-12-March-2019.pdf

Christy M (2019) Trapping options for Corn Snakes. A report for Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Canberra. https://invasives.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Christy-2018-Trapping-options-for-Corn-Snakes.pdf

Christy and Quinn (2019) National Incursion Prevention and Response: Incursion Data Summary 2016-2017. A report for Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Canberra. https://invasives.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Vertebrate-Incursion-Data-Summary-2016-2017.pdf