An Overview of Pre-Border Weed Risk Assessment and Post-Border Weed Risk Management Protocols
Bruce Auld, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, and Charles Sturt University, Leeds Parade, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
General Introduction
The need for weed risk assessment has grown worldwide with increasing international trade and travel as well as new uses for plants such as biofuels. Australia has been at the forefront in developing a screening system for plants that has been adopted in other countries. However, refinements and improvements in the system have been suggested.
For species that have already invaded, a range of management options are available, depending on the risk posed and the feasibility of control.
Jurisdictions with noxious plant laws inherently have some form of risk assessment, but this, and potential management strategies, are often not explicit nor well documented. In Australia, a National Post-Border Weed Risk Management Protocol (Standards Australia 2006), is currently being revised. It provides guidelines to prioritise species in which relative risk and feasibility of control are contrasted to arrive at suggested management actions. Future developments of the protocol are likely to take into account widespread weeds, contentious species and uncertainty in its various forms.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2012) 27 (3) 105-111.