Managing pest movement to novel ecosystems through application of phytosanitary measures

Insect pests move around the world on a number of different pathways through the trade of commodities. To address the risk of moving pests to novel ecosystems, where they can cause environmental and economic damage, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) develops standards for the globally harmonized use of phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction and spread of pests. The 184 signatories to the Convention help develop and apply these standards. Phytosanitary measures are types of procedures which promote plant health by protecting plants from pests and limiting pest movement through quarantine and biosecurity treatment application. Major pathways of pest movement include live plants, harvested plant material, and on inanimate objects such as wood packaging material or trade commodities. Our understanding of the dynamics of pest movement and establishment continues to increase as pest pathways are studied and new surveillance tools and treatments are developed. This presentation discusses opportunities to manage pest movement through the development and implementation of international phytosanitary measures.