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DIG 2009 conference

DIEBACK INFORMATION GROUP (DIG) 2009

Dieback conference strives to stem deadly disease

The State’s largest Dieback conference will see over a dozen scientists, PHD students, biodiversity experts and community members converge to discover the latest research developments and preventative strategies being implemented in WA to manage the devastating soil disease, Phytophthora Dieback.

Delegates at the Crossroads conference, taking place on Friday 5 June, will hear how feral pigs are implicated in the spread of the ‘biological bulldozer’ as the disease has become known, the damage Dieback is having on the habitat and food source of the unique WA nectar-eating marsupial - the honey possum - and the extent of its spread throughout the state’s south west, which is recognised as one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Dr Ian Colquhoun, Chair of the Dieback Working Group, said the conference would increase understanding and collaboration between stakeholders working on the disease, and also place Dieback in the public spotlight to highlight its status as one of the biggest threats to the state’s biodiversity.

“The Federal Government recognises that Phytophthora Dieback is one of the biggest threats to the nation’s biodiversity and WA’s Environmental Protection Authority has ranked it alongside climate change and salinity as a major threat to the State’s environment, so our message leading up to this conference is that Dieback is deadly serious,” he says.

“It’s vitally important that everyone working in the area of Dieback, as well as the general community, clearly understands the measures being taken to manage the disease and prevent its spread because once Dieback is introduced into an area it cannot be eradicated.

“Prevention has to be the key in fighting this major threat to our state’s biodiversity and that is where research, knowledge and community support – and the information shared at this year’s conference - is vital.”

Presenters at the 2009 conference will include:

• Andrew Li from the Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, who will present research into how feral pigs are spreading the disease in the south west. 

• Paul Donovan from South Coast Natural Resource Management, who will highlight some of the major Dieback projects originating from the south coast region, including the cross-regional Dieback Atlas.

• Dr Daniel Huberli from the Department of Agriculture and Food WA who will outline research undertaken in more than 2000 kilometres of the state’s waterways, from Kununurra to Esperance, which was undertaken to catalogue the spread of the disease in the state’s water system.

“The conference will also highlight what can be achieved when community, government, industry, researchers and conservation organisations work together to share their knowledge which will ultimately help safeguard areas throughout WA which remain disease-free,” Dr Colquhoun added.

The Crossroads conference will be held from 9am – 4pm on Friday 5 June at the Kim Beazley Lecture Theatre at Murdoch University, South Street.  Entry costs $40 for students or community volunteers or $75 for professionals.

Conference registration remains open via https://www.secureregistrations.com/dig2009, or by e mailing Libby.Burgess@water.wa.gov.au. 

The Dieback conference is being supported by the following organisations: the Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, Dieback Treatment Services, Glevan Consulting, Alcoa of Australia, Department of Environment and Conservation, Coffey Environments, Tiwest, Moore Mapping, NPC Consulting and Perth Region NRM.