The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has published a “Guide to the classical biological control of insect pests in planted and natural forests”. This publication is in response to the serious threat of insect pests worldwide and the importance of biological control as a management option.  The guide was written by a team of experts working in the field of biological control, including Marc Kenis (CABI, Switzerland), Fernanda Colombari (University of Padova, Italy), Simon Lawson (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia), Carlos Wilcken (São Paulo State University, Brazil), Jianghua Sun (Chinese Academy of Science, China), Ronald Weeks (United States Department of Agriculture, United States), Shiroma Sathyapala (FAO, Rome) and FABI’s Prof Brett Hurley .

The guide includes information on the processes leading to classical biological control (CBC), the implementation of CBC and post-release monitoring and evaluation of CBC agents. The guide also includes various case studies, including those well known to the South African forestry industry such as the Sirex woodwasp and the eucalypt gall wasp.  The main objective of the guide is to “help forest-health practitioners and forest managers – especially in developing countries – to implement successful classical biological control programmes.”