Australian forestry pest monitoring in mid-2026 has been quieter than the peak-stress periods of 2018–2020 but a few specific threads are worth tracking closely. The surveillance programs across the Australian plantation estate and the native forest interface are running at a useful tempo.

The major pest and pathogen threads in May 2026.

Myrtle rust continues to be the most consequential plant pathogen affecting Australian native species. The spread through eastern Australia has been steady. The impact on susceptible species in the Myrtaceae family — including key native eucalypts, melaleucas, and rainforest species — is well-documented at this stage. The monitoring program is now in a mature state — established surveillance protocols, regular reporting against geographic spread, and continued work on resistant cultivars and breeding lines for some affected species.

Polyphagous shot-hole borer surveillance has been an ongoing thread. The Western Australian response to the Perth metropolitan detection has continued. The eradication efforts have been intensive and the surveillance footprint has been wide. The pest has not been detected outside the known infestation area as of May 2026. The continued surveillance reflects the seriousness of the potential consequences if establishment were to spread.

Sirex woodwasp continues to be a managed pest in Australian softwood plantations. The biological control program using the nematode parasite has been operating for decades and remains a foundational part of the management regime. The pest has not produced major plantation impact events in recent years and the management is in a routine operating state.

European wood wasp surveillance is ongoing in the broader exotic wood wasp watch program. The detection rate has been low and the pathway controls on imported timber and packaging material have been working as intended.

Eucalyptus borer pests have been a steady concern in the hardwood plantation estate. The native borer impact on hardwood plantations in some growing regions has been a continued operational challenge. The combination of integrated pest management, careful site selection, and resistant cultivar breeding has kept the impact manageable but the watching brief continues.

Phytophthora dieback monitoring has continued across the susceptible vegetation communities in southern Western Australia, southern Victoria, and Tasmania. The management is well-established at this stage. The vehicle and equipment hygiene protocols are routine. The continued monitoring is producing useful data on the long-term spread dynamics.

The surveillance technology picture.

The use of drone-based surveillance for forestry pest monitoring has continued to expand. The capability to fly inspection routes over large plantation estates and detect early symptoms of pest or pathogen impact has improved. The image analysis on the drone-collected data has improved with AI-assisted detection workflows.

The eDNA surveillance for waterway-associated pests and pathogens has matured. The detection sensitivity on environmental DNA sampling is now at a level where the technique is operationally useful for early detection of certain pathogens in plantation drainage systems.

The trapping network for major insect pests continues to be the foundation of the surveillance program. The traditional lure-and-trap surveillance has been augmented by the technology additions but has not been replaced. The trap network is still the most reliable early-warning indicator for many pest species.

The data infrastructure for forestry pest surveillance has continued to mature. The integration between the federal surveillance programs, the state agencies, the plantation industry, and the research institutions has improved. The reporting timelines from detection to broader notification have shortened.

The climate context.

The 2025 fire season was within historical operating range across most plantation regions, with some specific events in western and southern regions that warranted operational response. The fire-related stress on plantation health has been within manageable bounds. The post-fire pest and pathogen monitoring on the affected areas is ongoing.

The climate-driven shift in pest pressure has been a continued strategic concern. The expansion of pest ranges in response to changing climatic conditions has been documented for several species. The monitoring program design has been adapted to reflect the changing risk landscape.

The international watch list.

The pests and pathogens on the international watch list that warrant continued attention in 2026 include the pine processionary moth, the emerald ash borer, the citrus longhorned beetle, the spotted lanternfly, and several Phytophthora species not currently established in Australia. The pathway controls on imports of timber, packaging material, and plant material are designed to keep these threats out. The surveillance for any incursion is ongoing.

The outlook for the rest of 2026.

The operational tempo through the rest of the year is expected to be broadly normal. The autumn and winter period typically sees lower pest activity and the surveillance focus tends to shift to long-distance monitoring and detection planning for the following season. The spring and summer 2026–27 surveillance program is being planned now.

The funding picture for forestry pest surveillance has been reasonably stable through 2025 and into 2026. The federal and state agency allocations have been maintained at workable levels. The industry contribution to specific surveillance programs has been steady.

The Australian forestry pest monitoring system in May 2026 is operating in a mature state. The surveillance programs are detecting the threats they need to detect. The response capabilities are operating as designed. The next twelve months should be more about steady operation than dramatic change.