A new mobile application resulting from an FWPA-supported research project equips all forestry stakeholders with tools to help minimise damage caused to Australian forests and trees by the presence of exotic pests and diseases.
The MyPestGuide Trees app is designed to promote, encourage, and make it easy for everyone to get involved with reporting new pest sightings in high-risk areas.
The tool is freely available for use by professional foresters, researchers, local government representatives, arborists, staff at parks and gardens, and citizen scientists.
Many potentially damaging pests and diseases exist overseas, and while Australia has robust biosecurity measures in place, exotic pests can and do occasionally enter our country.
Early detection of these exotic pests gives us the best chance of successful eradication and/or containment to minimise the impact on our trees and forests. All forestry stakeholders have a responsibility to report new or unusual pests whenever they are detected.
Researchers working on the Mobile applications to support stakeholder identification and reporting of exotic pests of trees project produced the MyPestGuide Trees app.
Apple® and Android™ versions of the application are now available for download via the Apple App Store® or Google Play™. A web-based version is also available by clicking here.
As part of the application build process, a development team was formed with staff from Plant Health Australia (PHA); the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; the Australian government; state and territory primary industry agencies; forest sector organisations, and university-based experts.
Rohan Burgess, Surveillance Manager at PHA said the app acts as a pest identification field guide containing information on established and exotic forest pests, as well as a pest reporting tool.
“It allows users to filter pests using various criteria to identify causal organisms and, if required, submit images of pests to their state or territory agriculture department for identification, assisting in the early detection of new and exotic pests,” Burgess said.
The team agreed on the required scope and functionality of the application and compiled a pest information database including visible details about various pests and their impacts to support identification and provide information about what action may be required.
Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, General Manager Partnerships and Innovation at PHA said the pests included for Australian and south-east Asian users of the app were decided in consultation with project partners, subject matter experts and stakeholders.
“Both established and exotic pests are included in the app to help users learn more about the common pests already established in their country, to support better recognition of unusual and potentially exotic pests for reporting via their mobile devices,” Tran-Nguyen said.
Following a period of testing and improvement the app was launched to industry and the public.
Reports from the use of the MyPestGuide Trees app will be collected to help build an Australia-wide picture of current forest surveillance activity. Building the capability for Australia’s south-east Asian neighbours, by sharing access to the app, may enable improved regional forest pest biosecurity management and reporting.
Notably, following completion of the application’s development, training and support the MyPestGuide Trees app will be incorporated as part of the Forest Watch Australia post-border surveillance program.
Additional funding for the project was provided by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
