Principles Underpinning Best Practice Management of the Damage Due to Pests in Australia

Abstract

Principles contained in the 1993 publication "Managing Vertebrate Pests: Principles & Strategies" were developed during a review of past and current pest management practices. They were used to guide the development of a series of management guidelines for our major vertebrate pests -feral pigs, house mice, European rabbits, red fox, feral pigs, feral horses, wild dogs, and carp. The principles have been constantly refined through subsequent on ground experience in working with stakeholders to implement best practice management programs for pest animals. In this paper, we present what we now consider the seven principles that underpin best practice management of pest animals. They are:1. A pest is human construct. 2. All key stakeholders need to be actively engaged and consulted.3. Rarely can pests be eradicated. 4. Most pest management needs to focus on the outcome, reduction in damage, not just killing pests. 5. A whole-system approach is required for managing pest damage. 6. Most pest management occurs in ecosystems in which our knowledge is imperfect.7. An effective monitoring and evaluation strategy is essential for all management interventions. Together, the principles comprise the strategic approach to pest management. We explain the rationale behind these principles and illustrate them with examples.

The effectiveness of short‐term fox control in protecting a seasonally vulnerable species, the Eastern Long‐necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

“…Our study reinforces the need for land managers to assess not just the operational performance of pest control programmes, but also the assets performance against the stated objectives (i.e. a significant increase in survival rates of turtle nests), a finding supported by previous studies (Braysher 1993;Braysher et al 2012). Managers also need to better understand the interaction between factors that influence the outcome of pest control operations.…”

“…a significant increase in survival rates of turtle nests), a finding supported by previous studies (Braysher ; Braysher et al . ). Managers also need to better understand the interaction between factors that influence the outcome of pest control operations.…”

Wildlife in U.S. Cities: Managing Unwanted Animals

“…The term “unwanted” is commonly understood when applied to stray and abandoned cats and dogs [ 13 ], but far less employed with wild animals than terms such as “pest”, “nuisance”, and “vermin”. A pest is a human construct, the status of which can change as people’s perceptions and values change and about which our knowledge is imperfect [ 14 , 15 ]. The term “nuisance” as well has more to do with human perception than any characteristics inherent to animals or their ecology [ 16 ].…”

“…Beyond conflicts affecting individuals lie those that can involve neighborhoods, communities, and at times entire municipalities. To address conflicts at the larger landscape level, open public processes and collaborative, community-based management concepts are increasingly advocated [ 15 , 54 , 55 , 56 ]. These are not so much intended to completely resolve disputes between stakeholders as to allow for more open engagement and transparency through processes relatively new in wildlife management [ 57 ].…”

Managing Feral Horses in Namadgi National Park, Australia: A Sensitive Operation

“…This variation in perception about non-native animals and the need to manage them is what makes pest management so complex. Consequently, pest management requires that we openly consult with those concerned about a particular pest; have a clear definition of the problem to be addressed; define options on how they should be managed; and cooperatively develop and implement a plan that aims to reduce the damage to an acceptable level (Braysher et al 2012). Development of a feral horse management plan for the Namadgi National Park (NNP) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) followed the ACT Pest Animal Strategy 2000 (ACT Government 2002), a strategy which has recently been updated to the ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy 2012-2022.…”