To address the growing concern on weeds and invasive alien plant species in national parks, botanical gardens and plantations in Indonesia, BIOTROP conducted its third National Training Course on Weeds and Invasive Alien Plant Species Management on 26-31 October 2015 at its headquarter in Bogor.

The training was generally aimed to equip the participants with updated concepts and approaches in identifying and managing weed and invasive alien plant species in various agriculture and forest ecosystems.

Twenty-six participants, mostly lecturers and post-graduate students from universities, staff from national parks, research agencies, botanical gardens and agrochemical companies in Indonesia completed the training course.

In his opening remarks, BIOTROP Director Dr Irdika Mansur challenged all participants to think how to eradicate weeds and invasive plant species effectively as well as how to create economic value from them such as handicraft and other potential uses.

This training course consisted of three components, namely: lecture-discussions, practicum, and fieldtrip. 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) Population ecology and weeds community; (4) Competion; (5) Chemical Control; (6) Biological Control; (7) Herbicide and the Environment; (8) Concept of plant classification, morphology and identification; (9) Vegetation analysis; (10) and Risk Analysis. The participants performed practical works on plant morphology and identification; risk analysis; vegetation analysis; and biological control. A two days field trip was organized to oil palm plantation at Cikasungka Bogor (PTP VIII), Mount Gede Pangrango National Park and Wonojiwo forest of the Cibodas Botanical Garden to collect data on the invasions of Invasive Alien Plant Species in their natural setting.

For their project assignments, the participants were divided into 6 groups to carry out the following: 1. Risk analysis of invasive plant species of Gunung Gede National Park; 2. Weed Management of Sugar cane Plantation at PT Gunung Madu; 3. Weed Competition; 4. Vegetation Analysis at the Oil Palm Plantation; 5. Herbicide Selectivity; and 6. Weed Control using Different Herbicides at the Oil Palm Plantation. The project assignment were written and presented orally at the last day of the training.

The resource persons and instructors during the training course were Dr Jess C. Fernandez, Dr Soekisman Tjitrosoedirdjo, Ms Sri Widayanti, Mr Imam Mawardi, Mr Setiabudi, Mr Kasno, Ms Indah Wahyuni and Mr Saiful Bachri from BIOTROP, and Ms Anggun Ratna Gumilang from Cibodas Botanical Garden.

Dr Sri Sudarmiyati Tjitrosoedirjo coordinated the training course.