General surveillance programs engage people from all walks of life in monitoring and reporting pests, weeds and diseases. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) developed Guidelines for General Surveillance Programs (the Guidelines) to support the planning, implementation and maintenance of general surveillance programs.
The research underpinning the Guidelines used a systems thinking approach, considering the main components and their interactions. This included the different participants throughout a general surveillance program, supporting technologies and data management systems, formal and informal rules, and ecological systems. A literature review and lessons learnt from nine case study programs across Australia and New Zealand were used to explore what works, and what does not work so well. There were four plant-based case studies, the Pantry Blitz (using MyPestGuide for Khapra Beetle monitoring), the Queensland Weed Spotter Network, Weed Spotters Victoria and the general surveillance hotline for plant health in New Zealand.
https://www.awe.gov.au/abares/research-topics/social-sciences/making-general-surveillance-work/guidelines
Author(s): Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Published: February 24, 2022
Date added: March 2, 2022
Keeping an eye on pests how to report a suspect pest
Any unusual plant pest, disease or weed should be reported.
Reporting hotlines operate in both Australia and New Zealand (numbers shown below).
Pests can also be reported using apps, such as MyPestGuide™ for Australia, that allow you to submit a photo of the pest or symptoms.
Every report is taken seriously and handled confidentially. Management of calls varies in different areas, but to the same end.
