Invasive forest pests present a significant environmental, economic and social risk for Australia’s natural and urban environments. The initial establishment and/or detection of invasive forest pests are more likely to occur in urban or peri-urban areas as pests typically arrive on Australian shores at international ports of entry, through passenger travel and the importation of materials.  

Given these risks, it is imperative that biosecurity responses are supported by the local and wider community to enable an effective response. However, undertaking biosecurity measures to eradicate invasive forest pests in urban environments is often both contentious and complex due diverse land tenures, varied urban forest benefits, and the multitude of stakeholders and hence stakeholder values. Hence there is an increasing recognition of the need to obtain social licence(s) to operate for biosecurity responses.

While previous studies have identified social license issues during tree removal programs (and other biosecurity measures) to improve the social acceptance of future pest eradication programs, there is still an absence of practical solutions and tools to support biosecurity agencies gain, and maintain, social license for biosecurity measures into the future. This project examines current social acceptability of tree removal for pest eradication in Australia to develop an evidence-based toolbox for biosecurity agencies and stakeholders to gain and sustain social license for tree removal for future exotic pest incursions.