Side Event

Biological Invasions in Forests: A Global Problem Impacting Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions – International Union of Forest Research Organization

Organizer
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and International Union for Forest Research Organizations

Date and Time
3 November 2015 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

Globalization has many benefits but an unintended consequence is the accidental movement of unwanted live species into non-native ecosystems and habitat. Alien species are invading forests in virtually every part of the world and these species represent virtually every animal and plant taxa. While many alien species are relatively benign, a few have catastrophic consequences, dramatically altering the composition of forest ecosystems. Efforts to manage this problem include attempts to exclude species via quarantines at the border, surveillance and eradication, or control of species after they become established via biological control and breeding host plant resistance. Understanding this problem and the search for solutions requires global cooperation among scientists. To this end, the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) has organized an interdisciplinary task force with the aim of synthesizing information about biological invasions in forests and packaging that information in a way to inform stakeholders and policymakers. In this session we will summarize the work of the biological invasion task force of the IUFRO and cordially invite participants to SBSTTA to discussion on imperative collaborative actions of scientific community to support globally harmonized forest management.