This unit applies pest control officers and managers for work carried out independently within organisational guidelines.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Research and identify pest strategy monitoring requirements

1.1. Attitudes and management practices of other land users, regional land management bodies and other relevant stakeholders are assessed for relevance and usefulness in the monitoring system.

1.2. Procedures for monitoring and recording economic impacts of pests are developed.

1.3. Procedures for monitoring and recording environmental impacts of pests are developed.

1.4. Procedures for monitoring and recording pest abundance are developed.

2. Document a monitoring program

2.1. Monitoring procedures are documented and accessible to relevant personnel.

2.2. Recording systems are documented and accessible to relevant personnel.

2.3. Monitoring program includes schedule for monitoring activities aligned to milestones in the pest management strategy.

2.4. Reporting procedures are defined.

Required skills

research and identify pest strategy monitoring requirements

document monitoring programs

analyse problems

plan strategically

use literacy skills to fulfil job roles as required by the organisation. The level of skill may range from reading and understanding documentation to completion of written reports

use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views

use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record complex workplace measures

use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge

land management processes

production processes

procedures for monitoring and recording

pest biology

relevant legislative and regulatory requirements

environmental protection legislation

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures

weed control statutory requirements.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

identify parameters to monitor the effectiveness of the strategy

source benchmarks against which to compare performance

develop a monitoring program and procedures for pest management

define the pest management strategy and intended outcomes.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Pests to be targeted may include:

insects

weeds

pathogens

vertebrates

nematodes

molluscs.

Pest management strategies may include:

changing land management or production processes and practices e.g.:

changing lambing times

changing sowing times

changing crops

modifying habitat

pasture management and pest population control e.g.:

shooting

poisoning

trapping

mustering

relocation

fumigation

sedation

exclusion fencing

biological controls

harvesting

tagging

weed control including:

chemical

biological control

mechanical removal.

Unit sector

Pest management

This unit contains employability skills.