The Northern Territory's Weed Risk Management system: an application of the national post-border WRM protocol
Samantha SetterfieldA, Keith FerdinandsB, Natalie Rossiter-RachorA and Michael DouglasA,C
A Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
B Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport, PO Box 30, Darwin, Northern Territory 0831, Australia.
C TRaCK CERF Research Hub, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
Summary
Weed risk management (WRM) is recognized internationally as a useful tool to assist land managers to address the often controversial issue of exotic plant management. A WRM system has been developed for use in the Northern Territory. This WRM system is based on the National Post-border WRM Protocol and includes an assessment of weed risk and feasibility of control. Outcomes from these assessments guide the management response. The system was developed to include questions particularly relevant for northern Australia. Stakeholders have been involved in the development and implementation stages, through engagement in workshops, community forums and representation on committees undertaking policy development, technical development of the WRM tool and its implementation. The NT WRM system will continue to be refined as we develop and incorporate spatially explicit and economic decision support tools.
Keywords: Weed risk management, benefit-cost assessment, stakeholder engagement.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2010) 25 (2) 86-89.