Maintaining The Gains: Biosecurity Week 2024

New Zealand landscapes are in danger of changing forever if we don’t keep our foot on the biosecurity pedal.

That’s the thoughts of the NZ Biosecurity Institute which will launch Biosecurity Week [MONDAY 22 JULY 2024], aimed at highlighting the activities of all those involved in keeping New Zealand protected from invasive species.

Biosecurity Week is an annual fixture promoted by the NZ Biosecurity Institute, the networking organisation for people working in or involved with biosecurity. The week acknowledges those working in the sector as well as the work done among local communities and mana whenua to improve the health of the land and water.

The theme of this year’s Biosecurity Week is 'Maintaining the Gains - Puritia te Aronga', which recognises the importance of tenacity in biosecurity.

Institute acting president, Dr Rowan Sprague, said maintaining the gains made previously is vital if New Zealand is to keep on top of its biosecurity issues.

Dr Sprague said while New Zealand’s natural landscapes are being changed by invasive species, there are a number of community programmes across the country using a range of approaches which are having considerable success.

The week centres around the Institute’s annual networking and training event known as NETS, to be held in Invercargill from 24-26 July.

“As well as managing pest animals and plants, the biosecurity sector covers border control, animal and plant disease management, and freshwater and marine pests.”

Dr Sprague said some hot biosecurity topics at present include the invasive seaweed Caulerpa, invasive freshwater clams, wilding pines, kauri dieback, and wallaby containment.

“As well as needing new technology like drones, and additional help from sniffer-dogs, the sector will always need people power.”

Dr Sprague said the conference will look at how research and technology can be best used to help people in the sector and communities continue to do their mahi to protect native flora and fauna, and productive industries.

“Every year Institute members spend thousands of hours controlling or managing the risks to the economy and the environment from the effects of invasive species.

“I would like to acknowledge their collective efforts and thank everyone for playing their part,” Dr Sprague said.

Next Month (August) Biosecurity NZ will launch its own initiative - Biosecurity Month celebrating and encouraging business participation in the sector (The Biosecurity Business Pledge). Both initiatives will complement each other.

About the NZ Biosecurity Institute

Biosecurity Week is a long-standing annual initiative of the NZBI to encourage New Zealanders to help workers and volunteers in the sector do their job. It is held in the last full working week of July.

Next Month (August 2024) Biosecurity NZ will launch its own initiative, Biosecurity Month celebrating and encouraging business participation in the sector. It will focus on MPI’s Biosecurity Business Pledge.

Both initiatives will complement each other.

Biosecurity Week (July 22-26, 2024) is driven by all who work or volunteer in the sector.

Biosecurity Month (August 2024) is driven by the government department with biosecurity oversight.

The NZ Biosecurity Institute is the networking organisation for people involved in all aspects of biosecurity including pest animal and plant management, border control, and research. Its members work for research organisations, educational institutions, regional councils, primary sector organisations, government departments and private organisations. All are involved in protecting NZ from invasive species.

Throughout August MPI’s Biosecurity Business Pledge will ask its members to all come together and support their customers, staff, suppliers and stakeholders to understand the importance of biosecurity and what good biosecurity practice looks like.

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