Meeting Report PILN 2023

Abstract

The Pacific Invasive Learning Network (PILN) connects Pacific professionals and practitioners, so called ‘Pacific Invasive Species Batlers’ to share knowledge, expertise, tools, and ideas that are vital to managing invasive species effectively. PILN enables multi-disciplinary country teams to work together on strategies with critical input from other national teams and experts from throughout the region, resulting in a common vision and a plan for effective conservation action. Collaboration, capacity building and support happens via email, on-line events, and social media. However, face-to-face meetings remain the best way to strengthen and build this network of invasive species practitioners in the Pacific. The last face to face meeting happened in 2016, therefore this fifth PILN meeting provided the opportunity to reconnect and reinvigorate the network by celebrating our successes, share our experiences, and to find out how to utilise the Pacific Regional Invasives Species Management Support Services (PRISMSS) to scale up on-the-ground management ac􀆟on in your countries. The meeting was hosted by the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). PRISMSS, founded in 2019, is a coordinating mechanism specifically designed to scale up on-the-ground operational prevention and management of invasive species in the Pacific region. It was established in response to the gaps identified by national PILN team members from the collection of the annual regional Pacific Invasive Species Indicators (PISI) by SPREP. The PISI has indicated since 2015 that critical on-the-ground action was limited throughout the region.