Biosecurity

What is biosecurity?

Why is biosecurity important?

The 3 lines of biosecurity defence

Biosecurity in the project process

Plant parts can harbour insect or disease hitchhikers. (Photo: Natasha Doherty)

The purpose of biosecurity is to:

• Prevent the import to the site of seeds/propagules of the species you are targeting
• Keep the site free of new invasive species
• Prevent the export of invasive species from one site to another site. 

Biosecurity actions are:

• Prevention; keeping invasive species out of sites
• Detection; surveillance for any invasives that get through
• Response; responding to any incursions of invasive species 

Remember that removal of one invasive plant species can make the site more vulnerable to invasion by other invasive plants, e.g. removing an invasive tree may make it easier for invasive vines to take over. So the Biosecurity Plan must consider all possible invasive species; not just the target species.

The routes that invasive species take to arrive at a site are called pathways. Most pathways are associated with people and goods travelling to the site by vehicles, boats, or other transport. Therefore much of the detail in the Biosecurity Plan will involve working with the project team and visitors to the site to prevent this happening.

However, plants can also be dispersed by wind-blown seed, seeds sticking to birds and other animals and plant parts carried in waterways; so extra planning and vigilance for these biosecurity pathways is required.