Forest health surveillance in Victoria

Abstract

Forest health surveillance (FHS) has been undertaken in Victorian native forests and plantations on an ad hoc basis since the early 1960s in response to incursions and outbreaks of native and introduced insect pests and plant pathogens, such as sirex wood wasp, Monterey pine aphid, Phytophthora dieback, phasmatids and other defoliators. The purpose of surveillance is to provide a broad overview of forest health and data for land managers to allow them to take appropriate strategic decisions and manage risks to their estate. Early targeted FHS in Victoria consisted mainly of drive-through surveys with aerial surveillance where required to determine the extent of a particular damaging agent. I..