

Angus Carnegie
Senior Principal Research Scientist | NSW Department of Primary Industries
Tuesday | 12:00pm | ARB Stream
TALK TITLE
How can you help protect our urban trees from exotic pests
BIO
Dr Angus Carnegie has over 30 years’ experience in forest health and biosecurity, including surveillance, pest & disease management, and research & development. He works in research, policy, strategy, and at the coal-face. Angus and his team conduct annual aerial & ground surveillance and insect trapping for early detection of exotic pests and pathogens invading our urban forests. He runs workshops with local councils, arborists & botanic gardens to raise awareness and early-detection of exotic pests. Angus led the myrtle rust emergency response in NSW, and now monitors its impact in native ecosystems. Dr Carnegie leads the Forest Science unit at NSW DPIRD, is an Adjunct Professor, Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society, and has more than 150 publications.
ABSTRACT
More than 300 exotic pests and pathogens of arborescent hosts have invaded Australia. Some have caused significant damage to our urban forests, native ecosystems, and production plantations: e.g., myrtle rust, phytophthora dieback, elm leaf beetle, sirex wood wasp. Exotic insect pests and fungal pathogens arrive in Australia primarily at our major ports (airports, shipping ports). While Australia has a national surveillance program for early detection run by biosecurity specialists, the majority of newly-invaded exotic pests and pathogens are detected by arborists, the public, botanic gardens staff, etc. Most are also detected first in urban trees. Polyphagous shot hole borer in Perth is a current example. Early detection is key to being able to eradicate a new pest or pathogen. This talk presents the case for why Australia needs arborists to help in detecting new pests and pathogens, and provides tools for how arborists can be involved in protecting Australia’s urban, native, and plantation forests.