Strategic Pest Management Program
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships (QPWS&P) manages more than 13 million hectares of protected area and forest estate across Queensland. QPWS&P is responsible for pest management of this protected area and forest estate.
QPWS&P pest management objectives are to:
- protect natural and cultural values, including threatened species and ecosystems, by locally eradicating pests or significantly reducing impacts
- prevent the introduction or spread of any declared plant or animal
- undertake pest control programs in cooperation with neighbouring landholders, other state agencies and local government as per the QPWS&P Good Neighbour Policy.
Managing pest plants and animals
Pest plants and animals cause significant adverse impacts in Queensland. The Biosecurity Act 2014 places responsibility on landowners, including QPWS&P, to manage pests on the land and waters for which they have direct responsibility.
The Strategic Pest Management Program (SPMP) is one of the main funding sources for rangers to:
- manage pest species threatening key values of the protected area and forest estate
- support QPWS&P custodial obligations (to work with neighbours and communities).
Since the inception of the SPMP in 2004, the funding has supported various critical conservation initiatives, including the management of cats and foxes to protect endangered species like the bilby, bridled nailtail wallaby and marine turtles.
QPWS&P allocates the SPMP funding annually, which was $1.35 million for the 2023/24 financial year.
QPWS&P contributes towards national pest eradication programs targeting the predominant invasive species threats considered feasible to eradicate, such as tropical weeds and red imported fire ants.
