FRONTLINE STORIES
With invasive species, the frontline is everywhere. It’s in bushland where regenerators yank out weeds, on wharves where biosecurity officers check shipping containers, in departments where government officers develop new policies and regulations, in laboratories where biologists figure out the weaknesses of a new invader, and so on.
In this series of stories we invite a person working in one domain of invasive species work – whether research, policy, advocacy, or control – to write about some of the invasive challenges they are grappling with.
These are passionate people protecting Australia from invasions. We hope you like their stories as much as we do.
Always on the hunt, with a springtail in her step
When you think ‘invasive species’, exotic Springtails probably do not spring to mind.
In our third Frontline story, zoologist Penelope Greenslade explains why invasive Springtails are of concern and what it is about Springtails that have kept her intrigued for 50 years.
Eradicating despoilers of Lord Howe Island
One of Australia’s most loved island paradises, Lord Howe Island, has more than its fair share of invasive species.
Sue Bower writes of the ambitious and inspiring 30-year project to rid Lord Howe of many of its worst invaders.
Controlling weeds in the Daintree Lowlands
Our first frontline worker is from the Daintree: Dr Hugh Spencer, a biologist and director of the Cape Tribulation Tropical Research Station.
The Daintree tends to evoke an image of unspoilt wilderness – “we saved the Daintree, didn’t we?” – but invaders have little respect for wilderness and not all inhabitants of this special area respect the original flora and fauna.