The focus of the research symposium will be an opportunity to gain insights from USA and Australian researchers working on Myrtle rust.

The symposium is a satellite meeting to an NZ US Invasive Species workshop supported by MBIE as part of the NZ-US Joint Commission on Science and Technology Collaboration (or JCM).  Invasive species was a cross cutting action item under the JCM framework a number of years ago and this has resulted in a series of exchanges over the last few years.  A JCM Invasive Species workshop is planned between the 29th August-1st September in Auckland to build on and develop strategic collaborations on invasive species research between New Zealand and USDA researchers.

Since the finding of myrtle rust in New Zealand the organisers of the JCM workshop have worked to increase participation by US researchers with experience of myrtle rust. To make the most of their time in New Zealand, we are organising a satellite meeting on the 28th August the day before the JCM workshop proper commences, to discuss their experiences with myrtle rust, and their recommendations for managing myrtle rust in NZ, should we move to a long-term management programme.