Project Abstract
Invasive, non-native species are a major component of global environmental change. The introduction, establishment and spread of species to locations outside their natural range has caused significant environmental problems and imposes major economic and social costs.
New Zealand conservation organisations, environmental managers and ecologists desire to determine the optimal use of resources between the competing demands of controlling existing weeds and stopping new weeds, thus minimising the negative impacts on indigenous biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Building on local strengths in weed management, this programme will involve mathematicians, statisticians and ecologists. It will be the foundation of a longer term collaborative working group that will stimulate the design of a mathematical framework for exploring the spread and subsequent impact of invading organisms in NZ ecosystems.
The programme began with a 5 day workshop in Hanmer in April 2007. The workshop included introductory sess
