SEAMEO BIOTROP implemented the 3rd offering of its regional training course on the Management of Weeds and Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) on 9-16 July 2012 at its headquarter in Bogor, Indonesia benefitting 25 participants from five Southeast Asian countries.

The training course had the following specific objectives:

1.To provide recent advances on the concept of weeds and IAPS, their biology, biological invasion, and various approaches for their control and management and subsequent ecological restoration.

2.To enhance the laboratory and field skills of participants on weed and IAPS management.

3.To develop further interest, and enhance professional linkages among participants engaged in the control and  management of weeds and  invasive alien plant species and ecological restoration

Lecture-discussions were held on the following topics: (1) Concept of weeds and impact of IAPS to natural vegetation; (2) Defining the problems in biological invasion; (3) Restoration of invaded habitat; (4) Pre- and post-Risk Analysis; (5) Concept of plant classification, morphology and identification; (6) Vegetation analysis; (7) Methods for controlling weeds and IAPS; (8)  Herbicide and the Environment; (9) Policies on IAPS in Indonesia; and (10) Plant selection for mining reclamation.

The participants performed practical works on plant morphology and identification; risk Analysis; vegetation Analysis; and biological Control. A one day field trip was also organized to Mount Gede Pangrango National Park and Wonojiwo forest of the Cibodas Botanical Garden to practice the vegetation analysis and to collect data on the invasions of IAPS in their natural setting. The participants also visited the Cibodas Botanical Garden.

The results of the pre- and post-tests showed significant increase in the knowledge gained by the participants.

Aside from producing group thematic reports (for the Indonesian participants) and country reports (for non-Indonesian participants), the trainees submitted 14 group/individual re-entry plans as training course requirements.  The re-entry plans indicate the project/activities that the trainees want to undertake to apply the knowledge and experiences they gained from the training couorse.

In his closing remarks, SEAMEO BIOTROP Deputy Director for Programs Dr. Jesus Fernandez encouraged the participants to share the knowledge and skills they acquired from the training course with their colleagues and to put them in full use in their respective work stations. “Knowledge without action is useless,” he emphasized.  He also reminded the participants to sustain the linkage they established with one another and also with BIOTROP towards creating more awareness on managing weeds and IAPS in their respective countries. 

Resource persons during the course were Dr. Soekisman Tjitrosoedirdjo from Indonesian Weed Science Society, Dr. Arifin Tasrif from Indonesian Agriculture Quarantine; Dr. Irdika Mansur, Dr. Sri S. Tjitrosoedirdjo, Mr. Kasno, and Mr. Setiabudi from SEAMEO BIOTROP.

The participants came from Brunei Darussalam (2), Cambodia (1), Indonesia (19), Malaysia (1) and Vietnam (2).

The training course was coordinated by Dr. Sri S. Tjitrosoedirdjo.