WCC 2020 Res 096 - Activity Report

ECO as a coalition of organisations has hosted in person and on line discussions on marine and terrestrial biosecurity and the vectors and measures to take action and for the government to keep biosecurity as a high priority

The Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand has pressed for government and private funding for invasive species control in Aotearoa/New Zealand and off shore islands and in the marine environment. We supported politicians and government agencies by publicly supporting the deployment of invasive predator control methods, by helping to socialise the need to control not only mammalian predators of invertebrates, birds and other native species. One of the ECO people was appointed to the Biosecurity Implementation Plan group. We have given moral support to those working to protect island ecosystems in the field and in 2018 hosted discussions on aspects of biosecurity including fostering discussion at our conference the use of various methods and the scientific, ethical and cultural and practical aspects. We have ensured that plant pests, pathogens and the increasing risk of these with destabilising climate and other earth systems are recognised.