FORSAID participates in Cost Action and EPPO meeting on biosecurity and surveillance for quarantine pests of trees in forests and cities

The  conference  “Biosecurity and Surveillance for Quarantine Pests of Trees in Forests and Cities”, organised by COST Action CA20132 (Urban Tree Guard) and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) was held at the NOVA SBE Carcavelos Campus in Portugal, on 8–10 September 2025. The three-day meeting gathered researchers, practitioners and policy actors to discuss the latest developments in forest and urban tree biosecurity. 

A strong representation from FORSAID, including partners from LNU, WSL, EPPO, CNR and INRAE, took part in the event actively contributing to and engaging with discussions on biosecurity challenges across urban and forest landscapes. 

Several talks directly addressed recent progress in surveillance and monitoring technologies and demonstrated how improved detection, diagnostic tools and monitoring systems are essential for strengthening biosecurity of the treescapes. Presenters highlighted that early warning systems, remote sensing approaches, digital surveillance tools and harmonised monitoring protocols are becoming indispensable components in preventing the introduction and spread of regulated forest pests.

“FORSAID is right on time, developing solutions for surveillance and monitoring technologies that can be integrated into broader biosecurity frameworks. With new tools, we can significantly improve preparedness and response capacity against quarantine pests also in urban settings,” says Johanna Witzell (LNU), one of the conference organisers and a member of the FORSAID team. 

“When we share our knowledge and connect our efforts across projects and organisations, we accelerate progress and create real impact for tree and forest health”, she continues.

Read the book of abstracts for the event here.

Photo credit: taken by Nick McCarthy (SETU, Ireland)