Biosecurity Risk Management

Description

During recent years, New Zealand’s image as a “clean green” safe and secure country with healthy, pest free primary-industries has become tarnished. The introduction of organisms such as the Varroa mite, the kiwifruit disease Psa, incursion of the salt marsh mosquito and numerous snake sightings are just a few of many examples. In addition, the illegal importation and dissemination of rabbit calici-virus may be viewed as an act of bioterrorism. Beyond external incursions of unwanted or pest organisms, New Zealand faces an ongoing struggle with established pests in terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems. This course will establish a scientific, legal and practical definition of biosecurity and pursue the ramifications of breaches to the systems in place to protect New Zealand.

The course will include a broad overview of the source and types of biosecurity threats to New Zealand, the policy, processes and strategies designed to protect New Zealand, and the public perception of biosecurity threats and the response to these threats. Particular emphasis will be placed on biosecurity issues faced by the forestry sector and the specific systems in place to protect and manage forestry from biosecurity threats in the past, present and future.