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A case study of the Australian Plague Locust Commission and environmental due diligence. Why mere legislative compliance is no longer sufficient for environmentally responsible locust control in Australia
Citation
Story, PG and Walker, PW and McRae, H and Hamilton, JG, A case study of the Australian Plague Locust Commission and environmental due diligence. Why mere legislative compliance is no longer sufficient for environmentally responsible locust control in Australia, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 1, (3) pp. 245-251. ISSN 1551-3777 (2005) [Refereed Article]
Abstract
The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) manages locust populations across 2 million square kilometers of eastern Australia using the aerial application of chemical and biological control agents to protect agricultural production. This occurs via a preventative control strategy involving ultralow-volume spray equipment to distribute small droplets of control agent over a target area. The economic costs of, and potential gains stemming from, locust control are well documented. The application of insecticides, however, to fragile arid and semiarid ecosystems is a task that brings with it both real and perceived environmental issues. The APLC is proactive in addressing these issues through a combination of targeted environmental operational research, an ISO-14001-aligned Environmental Management System (EMS), and links with environmental regulatory and research institutions. Increasing due diligence components within Australian environmental legislation dictate that mere legislative compliance is no longer sufficient for industries to ensure that they meet their environmental obligations. The development of external research links and the formulation of an EMS for locust control have enabled the APLC to identify environmental issues and trends, quantify objective environmental targets and strategies, and facilitate continuous improvement in its environmental performance, while maintaining stakeholder support. This article outlines the environmental issues faced by the APLC, the research programs in place to address these issues, and the procedures in place to incorporate research findings into the organization's operational structure.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences |
| Research Group: | Crop and pasture production |
| Research Field: | Crop and pasture protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds) |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
| Objective Group: | Terrestrial systems and management |
| Objective Field: | Control of pests, diseases and exotic species in terrestrial environments |
| UTAS Author: | Walker, PW (Dr Paul Walker) |
| ID Code: | 45221 |
| Year Published: | 2005 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 10 |
| Deposited By: | Agricultural Science |
| Deposited On: | 2007-07-07 |
| Last Modified: | 2011-10-07 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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