Biosecurity for Australia requires collective action from all stakeholders Who should care about weeds and other pest incursions?

摘要

Western Australians are probably among the most quarantine-aware people in the world; however, the current attention to quarantine was not always the case. From the early days of settlement until relatively recent times, many inappropriate plants andanimals were introduced into an environment largely free of predators and pests. A significant number of these introductions have become serious agricultural and/or environmental pests. This is particularly obvious for weeds, which impose high cost on agriculture, threaten ecosystems and endangered species, and are inexorably changing the unique and fragile floral landscape of WA. While there have been dramatic improvements in national and international quarantine measures, attempts to introduce invasive species continue. A move towards a more holistic biosecurity approach, heightened public awareness and focus on complementary roles and responsibilities is vital for both current and future generations.