ONLINE WEBINAR

African Boxthorn sign: 'Reserved for Biocontrol Release.' Photo courtesy of CSIRO.

Landcare Tasmania, in partnership with CSIRO, invites farmers, Landcare groups, First Nations communities, stakeholders and anyone involved in invasive weed management to join this online webinar to learn about newly approved national biocontrol solutions for African Boxthorn.

Led by CSIRO researchers, this session will provide a practical overview of the science, safety and real-world application of biocontrol for African Boxthorn, as well as updates on Sea Spurge biocontrol to support coastal restoration efforts.

Participants will learn how the African Boxthorn rust fungus (Puccinia rapipes) works, how it will be rolled out across Tasmania during 2026–2027, and how land managers and community groups can be involved.

What we’ll cover

• How the African Boxthorn rust fungus (Puccinia rapipes) works

• Safety, host specificity and national approval processes

• What the national release program will look like in 2026–2027

• How Tasmanian landholders and groups can register for free biocontrol release kits

• Community participation in biocontrol programs, including case studies from around Australia

• Updates on current and past Sea Spurge biocontrol research

• Opportunities for training, field days and community involvement

Speakers

• Landcare Tasmania

• Dr Ben Gooden, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO

• Caroline Delaisse, Senior Research Officer, CSIRO

• Dr Gavin Hunter, Team Leader, Plant Health Diagnostics, CSIRO

Find out more about the National African Boxthorn Biocontrol Project 2025-27

Please register below to receive webinar access details. We hope you can join us.

This project is part of a 'Nation-wide weed biocontrol mass-rearing and release network for enhanced drought resilience in Australia’s agricultural landscapes' initiative, funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and led by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS).