Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre

Invasive animals are conservatively estimated to cause $1billion damage to Australia every year - through a mix of impacts on biodiversity and agricultural production (major effects including predation, competition, habitat degradation and disease transmission). This means that pest animal control benefits the agricultural community as well as wildlife - creating opportunities for agricultural and conservation interests to work collaboratively, for the benefit of each other.

The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC), in collaboration with the NSW Dept. of Primary Industries, has launched a new project aimed at building and strengthening relationships between itself and Australia's 56 regional NRM groups. The first step was the appointment of an IA CRC Natural Resource Management Liaison Officer, Shane Adams, whose role will be to:

• Act as the initial point of contact for brokering information between the NSW DPI, the IA CRC and the NRM regional groups
• Assist with implementing best practice invasive animal control through strategic planning and knowledge transfer
• Investigate the potential for collaborative research, placement of post graduate students and demonstration sites within NRM regions
• Develop information packages appropriate to NRM needs
• Assist with and advising on relevant training opportunities
• Assist with negotiation of agreements between the IA CRC programs and NRM regions for joint studies and control programs, and
• Facilitate the roll out of IA CRC products where they can assist NRM groups in more effectively managing their invasive animals.