Establishing pest detection systems in South Pacific countries and Australia

“Establishing Forest Pest Detection Systems in South Pacific Countries and Australia” (FST/2004/053), took the key findings from a previous ACIAR project (FST/2001/045: “Development of Forest Health Surveillance Systems for South Pacific Countries and Australia”) and introduced methods to strengthen capacity to detect exotic forest pests, particularly in the vicinity of ports and other high-risk sites. Importantly this project involved the forestry agencies collaborating with the quarantine agencies of the two participating Pacific island countries – Fiji and Vanuatu. Preparatory research done in Australia developed a combination of insect traps and lures that was effective in attracting all of the key groups of wood-boring insects. Staff from the forest health units (created in the first project) and quarantine agencies were trained in the use of static traps and, with the assistance of the Australian participants, developed a plan for the regular survey of selected sites using static traps supplied through the project. The project also aimed to increase the capacity of the participating countries to screen the collections of woodboring insects captured during static trap surveys to identify potential new exotic species. This involved strengthening existing insect reference collections or developing new collections of named species of wood-boring insects already present in the countries.