Still invasive after all these years: Keeping gypsy moth out of British Columbia

Abstract

The gypsy moth is an alien invasive insect in North America. In Canada, management objectives and approaches have often collided with public opposition and resulted in a shifting public policy. The history of this interaction between science and policy is best illustrated in British Columbia where gypsy moth remains unestablished after 30 years of repeated invasions and eradications. The case study provides unique lessons to improve science-public dialogue in achieving common socioeconomic objectives. It shows that despite the availability of sufficient scientific knowledge and technical capacityto reduce risk, the absence of effective risk communication can compromise the effectiveness of management actionand increase the risk of invasion.