Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa (FISNA)

African Forest Pest Management Network was formed in April 1995 during a workshop held in Muguga, Kenya. The network was formed because of the growing realization of the value of regional interactions and collaborations to control invasive species. The network aimed to cover invasive insects, diseases and weeds affecting forestry, with the three main objectives:

Reduce the damage to trees, forests, and forest products by pests to within economically, socially and environmentally acceptable levels

Contribute to effective and sustainable forest pest management

Work as a regional coordination mechanism for pest management

Following from this workshop, a second workshop was held in Nairobi in October 1996, to review progress in the management of important tree pests in the east, central and southern African region. From this meeting a charter was developed for the Tree Pest Management Network for Central, East and Southern Africa.

In December 2004 a meeting was held in Zomba, Malawi, following calls to revitalize the network formed in 1996. This led to the formation of the Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa (FISNA).

FAO has developed a tool to help foresters deal with increasing threats posed by pest movement in expanded international trade coupled with local climatic change that may increase the potential for establishment of pests in new areas. The Guide to Implementation of Phytosanitary Standards in Forestry, prepared by a mutlistakeholder process, provides clear and concise guidance on forest health practices that will help to minimize pest presence and spread. Strengthening country capacity to implement the guide is a strong focus and an ongoing activity.

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international treaty to secure action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products, and to promote appropriate measures for their control. As of January 2019, 183 countries are contracting parties to the Convention. It is governed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), which adopts International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) in order to reduce phytosanitary risks. All standards are applicable to forestry. Those aimed at regulating pathways associated with the introduction and spread of forest pests and pathogens include ISPM 15 (wood packaging materials), ISPM 36 (plants for planting), ISPM 38 (seeds), ISPM 39 (wood) and ISPM 40 (growing media) and ISPM 41 (used vehicles, machinery and equipme

Forest invasive species in Africa

The arrival of non-native species has increased exponentially in Africa, as in other parts of the world. This is attributed mainly to the increase in travel and trade, and is influenced by difficulties in implementing adequate quarantine regulations. Once introduced into the continent, invasive species are likely to spread to neighbouring countries, sometimes spreading across a vast area in an alarmingly short period.

Thus, many, and perhaps most, of non-native invasive species are shared between a number of African countries. This results in many challenges, but also provides opportunities for countries to collaborate towards management of these species.

Invasive species of forests include insects, microbes, other animals and plants. The list below provides examples of some of the current main invasive species, with a focus on invasive species of plantation forests. Further information and publications on these invasive species can be obtained in the section Resources or - more specifically - from FABI Resources and CABI Compedium on invasive species.

African Institutes / Organizations:

• CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International) - Africa Regional Centres
• Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) - South Africa
  - Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB)
  - The Tree Protection Co-operative Programme
• Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG)
• Future Africa
• Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR)
• Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
• Natural Forestry Resources Research Institute
• World Agroforestry Centre formerly the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)

Other Institutes / Organizations:

• Biological Control of Eucalyptus Insect Pests (BiCEP)
• European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO)
• International Forestry Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG)
• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
• International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
• USDA Forest Service - Forest Health Protection

Databases:

• CABI Forestry Compendium
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium
• Global Forest Information Service (GFIS)
• ISSG Global Invasive Species Database