Biosecurity Month 2012

July is Biosecurity Month.

The Pressure is On

Biosecurity is vital to protect New Zealand’s ability to grow primary products, stay healthy, and preserve our natural heritage – our unique thumb print on the world. New Zealand is fortunate to have a world class biosecurity system, driven by primary producers and people who care about our biodiversity, and assisted by central and local government with legislation that enables effective management of those pests inside New Zealand, and a border and pre-border surveillance system second to none, and supported by world class research from a variety of science institutions.

‘Biosecurity’ means protection from the risks posed by organisms to the economy, environment and people’s health, through exclusion, eradication and control procedures, actions and activities.

Vigilance and understanding of the risks to biosecurity are vitally important. New Zealand is a trading nation and a tourist destination, and numbers of imports and visitors are increasing every year. New Zealand is free from many of the pests that limit trade and production in other countries and this is a huge advantage to our growers. We have a benign climate amenable to a variety of species not currently here, and we also have a significant number of pests, both actual and potential, here already. With global warming and biological changes potentially influencing the distribution and ability of pests to impact on habitats, we must never become complacent in our surveillance, search for knowledge or our ability to respond.

Sectors of the biosecurity system are all interlinked. They do not function in isolation but require each to be connected to the other to create a system stronger than its parts. The NZBI endeavours to foster relationships and avenues for the sharing of ideas and best practice information between all the sectors of the biosecurity system. Please follow the links to find out more about the varied disciplines that contribute to protecting New Zealand.

Policy - We need policy to guide our biosecurity actions and to steer New Zealand’s response.(MAFBNZ)

Science - How can we make our biosecurity processes better? (AgResearch, Landcare Research, B3 - Better Border Biosecurity)

Biosecurity Officers - How do we prevent and manage the spread of pests already in New Zealand? ( Regional Councils, Department of Conservation)

Private companies - How does private industry contribute to biosecurity in New Zealand? (NPCA – for best practice guidelines, SMS, Kiwicare, Te Ngahere, Treescape)

Community groups - How does our community respond to threats to their special natural areas and ability to enjoyment these environments? (Weedbusters, DoC)

Land owners - What can you do as someone who wants to protect their patch from pests? (Landcare Trust, Weedbusters)

Education - What can we do to teach the next generation about what we have to lose if we don’t protect New Zealand from pests? (Weedbusters, Landcare Research) What professional development courses are available for those wanting to work, or already working in the field of biosecurity? (Auckland University )



You can help support Biosecurity Month 2011 by using a widget such as that above on your website linking the this page and by using a banner in your emails. For more information contact David Brittain at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Pedro Jensen at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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