Australian Plague Locust Commission
| Australian Plague Locust Commission | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Acronym: | APLC |
| Website: | View URL |
| Country purview: | Australia |
| Species purview: | Small plague grasshopper (Austroicetes cruciata), Wingless grasshopper (Phaulacridium vittatum), Eastern plague locust (Oedaleus australis), Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera), Spur-throated locust (Austracris guttulosa), Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) |
| Categories | |
| Type: | Government |
| Focus: | Management, Research, Governance |
| Keywords: | Agricultural development, Control, Coordination, Education, Emergency assistance, Forecasting, Funding, Governance, Information hub, International development, Media, Monitoring, Policy, Regional cooperation, Research, Sustainable development, Technology, Training, Natural sciences |
About the Australian Plague Locust Commission
The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) was established in 1974 as a response to the significant infestations of various locust species experienced over many years.
Funding
The APLC is jointly funded by the Australian Commonwealth, as well as the governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland, typically through budget appropriations from their respective agriculture departments. Given the high migratory capacity of locusts, the APLC plays a crucial role in managing populations that pose a credible threat to agriculture in member states. Proactive measures, such as treatments, are often implemented before locusts reach cropping areas as part of an early intervention strategy. The level of funding contributed by each of the four member states varies based on their long-term economic impact assessment, with the Commonwealth providing matching funds. [1]
The APLC manages its internal budget for various activities such as control measures, insecticides, surveys, and research. This approach allows for the accumulation of unused funds during years with low locust populations, creating a reserve to address major outbreaks in subsequent years. While the APLC does not directly distribute its funding as grants to other organizations, it collaboratively supports research and development initiatives. Universities often utilize APLC funds as a leverage point to secure larger grants from national research funding bodies.[1]
Organizational relationships
The planning and coordination of locust control activities primarily involve the APLC and state agencies, with regional agencies being coordinated by the respective state agencies. State agencies also offer direct guidance to landholders who are implementing their own control measures. For instance, in New South Wales, the state agency facilitates landholders' access to pesticides through the Local Land Services divisions. Through this collaborative approach, Australia ensures effective monitoring, management, and communication of locust-related information, contributing to successful locust control efforts across the country.[1]
The APLC actively collects and shares information with stakeholders involved in locust management. Data on locust occurrence is gathered through vehicle-based ground surveys conducted by APLC field officers, as well as reports from state and regional agencies and landholders. This information is then combined with climatic and other relevant data from third parties to develop comprehensive situation analyses and forecasts, which are disseminated across various platforms and formats.[1]
Locust research
Although the APLC maintains a limited research and development capacity, the majority of locust-related research in Australia is conducted by other entities. In the past, state agencies and larger universities with entomology and agriculture departments were actively involved in locust research, attracting the interest of students and academics. However, with the decline of "public good" research in Australia, the APLC had to adapt and align its focus with broader topics that receive more readily available funding. [1]
To fulfill the data requirements for demonstrating environmental stewardship, the APLC now incorporates locust-related research as a small component within larger projects conducted by university ecology faculties. As a result, the APLC has increased its investment in research collaborations proportional to the overall size of the projects. However, the specific scope of locust-related research within these collaborations has either remained consistent or decreased. While the APLC continues to conduct some research internally, the emphasis is placed on addressing highly specific topics, such as locust control pesticides and application technology. The APLC's research efforts have become more focused and specialized in these particular areas.[1]
Related organizations
The following organizations represented on HopperWiki are associated with this organization:
- Fisheries and Forestry of Australia]]
- [[Department of Agriculture
Available resources authored by this organization
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ries MW, Adriaansen C, Aldobai S, Berry K, Bal AB, Catenaccio MC, Cigliano MM, Cullen DA, Deveson T, Diongue A, Foquet B, Hadrich J, Hunter D, Johnson DL, Pablo Karnatz J, Lange CE, Lawton D, Lazar M, Latchininsky AV, Lecoq M, Le Gall M, Lockwood J, Manneh B, Overson R, Peterson BF, Piou C, Poot-Pech MA, Robinson BE, Rogers SM, Song H, Springate S, Therville C, Trumper E, Waters C, Woller DA, Youngblood JP, Zhang L, Cease A (2024) Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research. Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(2): 169–216. doi:10.3897/jor.33.112803.