The purpose of the West Gippsland Invasive Plants and Animals (IPA) Strategy is to describe thevision, goals and priorities for the management of invasive plants and animals across West Gippsland from 2010 to 2015. It will be relevant for all land managers and service delivery agencies involved in the management of pest plants and animals. The priorities in the strategy are intended to guide investment into invasive plant and animals within the region.
This strategy is based on the biosecurity approach to managing invasive plants and animals. This new approach is being adopted across Australia. It is based on risk management principles and uses the ‘generalised invasion curve’ to describe four different approaches to IPAs. These four approaches are prevention, eradication, containment and asset-based protection.
Under the biosecurity approach prevention and eradication is the highest priority because it has a higher long term return on investment. Established pests are managed as part of asset-based protection.
The vision of the West Gippsland Invasive Plants and Animals Strategy is to reduce the impact of invasive plants and animals on the region’s environment, economy and community. Allied with other natural resource management work in West Gippsland, this strategy aims to increase the resilience of the region’s landscapes to withstand impacts from invasive plants and animals.