Plant Health Activity
The Royal Society of Biology has partnered with Defra to run a series of plant health workshops.
Upcoming events
There are currently no upcoming events.
Previous events
An online plant health conference, highlighting the ongoing work of emerging and established plant health professionals. The event included keynote lectures spotlighting cutting-edge topics in potato plant health, as well as expert panel discussions and flash talks from a range of early career scientists.
Keynote speaker Sarah Brunel, Implementation and Facilitation Unit (IFU) Lead at the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) discussed global standards and strategies to mitigate the spread of plant pests and diseases. This was followed by an opportunity for an audience Q&A and discussion.
An opportunity to visit one of the UK's most important botanical research institutes and engage with experts in plant health. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in guided tours around the Herbarium, Fungarium, and Plant Quarantine Unit.
A free, online conference highlighting the ongoing work of emerging and established plant health professionals. The event included keynote lectures, discussing topics such as the Nagoya Protocol and the importance of best plant health practice in nurseries, as well as expert panel discussions, and flash talks from a range of early career scientists.
Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith, Australia's chief plant health protection officer, discussed points related to Australia's plant health and biosecurity system.
Professor Jonathan Drori, author of bestsellers Around the World in 80 Trees and Around the World in 80 Plants, provides the ground rules for effective science communication. He also addresses how to define, understand, and engage with different audiences, how to widen your influence beyond your usual networks, and common misconceptions in plant biology.
An exclusive guided tour around the BIFoR FACE facility, which is the second Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment facility worldwide and the only one in the Northern Hemisphere. Attendees also visited the Wolfson Advanced Glasshouses and Winterbourne Gardens at the University of Birmingham.
Dr Kendra Baumgartner, research plant pathologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, discussed her work managing the trunk and root diseases that limit the productive lives of grapevines and tree crops in California.
Clare Trivedi, plant health research and development manager at Defra, gives an overview of Defra's research and development programme, including how research needs are being met, before a range of plant health experts describe the research programmes they are working on that are funded through this programme.
Dr Mary Lucy Oronje, sanitary and phytosanitary scientist at CABI, discusses the use of multi-country co-ordination to limit the spread of transboundary pests in Africa and some of the projects CABI is involved with to help limit the spread of these pests.
Professor Nicola Spence CBE FRSB, chief plant health officer at Defra, discussed key points related to Great Britain's strategy for approaching the biosecurity of plants and plant products over the next five years.
Plant Health Professional Development Advisory Group
The initiatives delivered under this grant are supported by a volunteer committee – the Plant Health Professional Development Advisory Group. Group members aim to represent a variety of sectors and academics in plant health.
Group membership:
- Jeremy Pritchard (Chair) — University of Birmingham
- Charles Lane — Fera Science Ltd
- Jassy Drakulic — Royal Horticultural Society
- Geraint Parry — Association of Applied Biologists
- Lucy Carson-Taylor — Animal and Plant Health Agency
- Clarinda Burrell — Scottish Forestry
- Mimi Tanimoto — Plant Health Consultant
- Stephanie Godliman — Department of Food, Environment & Rural Affairs
- Alison Wilson — Department of Food, Environment & Rural Affairs
- Gail Preston — University of Oxford
Discover our Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships