The Director of the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law, Professor Paul Martin along with UNE Professor of Psychology Dr Don Hine, AgLaw lecturer Dr Tanya Howard and Professor Theodore Alter from Penn State University has published a new book called Community-based Control of Invasive Species. The book reflects five years of research on citizen-led action and landholder management.  

Invasive species are one of Australia’s greatest challenges to sustainability and agricultural productivity. The book examines how voluntary citizen stewardship can lead management of invasive species.  

Professor Paul Martin said, “the book provides strategies for citizens engaged in managing invasive species, to support their efforts, and what communication that ensure motivation and coordination of these efforts.”  

Community-based Control of Invasive Species also considers how to improve rules and administration for managing invasive species. The editors show that for effective control, private citizens need support to make sustained commitments, which are often burdensome.  

The approaches in Community-based Control of Invasive Species are proven to be effective. For example the Victorian Rabbit Action Network (VRAN) has received the 2019 United Nations Public Service Award for ‘delivering more inclusive and equitable services to leave no one behind’. The strategy emerged from the use of methods described in Community-based Control of Invasive Species. 

Co-editor of the book, Dr Don Hine gave a keynote address on assisting communities to tackle invasive plant and animal species at the Australian Biosecurity Symposium last week (12-13 June) on the Gold Coast. Dr Hine discussed how to enable landholders and managers (both private and public) to change citizen behaviour. This outlined some of the methods and research outlined in Community-based Control of Invasive Species from one of the editors.  

A hardback copy of Community-based Control of Invasive Species is now available to purchase online.