Better Border Biosecurity (B3) is thrilled to be among the finalists in this year’s 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards Science Category.
The B3 entry sums up the research collaboration’s more than 15 years of mahi providing science to protect Aotearoa’s plants, but focuses on the impact of more than 8 recently-completed major research projects that span risk assessment, managing pathways of biosecurity threat into the country, diagnosis of threats, and the science behind ongoing surveillance and eradication.
B3 integrates investment and expertise from Plant and Food Research, AgResearch, Scion, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and Lincoln University, as well as end-users organisations such as the Ministry for Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, Horticulture NZ, and the Forest Owners Association.
B3 Director Dr David Teulon says it is exciting to be a science category finalist alongside groups from its partner organisations, whose work has addressed pressing biosecurity issues such as the control of invasive weeds and the unwanted organism giant willow aphid.
Biosecurity New Zealand’s Deputy Director-General Stuart Anderson says the award’s judging panel described this year’s entries as the highest quality ever seen, with close scores among the top applications in every category. Anderson says this year’s finalists cover a huge range of Aotearoa’s biosecurity challenges.