Departments Unite to Identify the Greatest Invasive Species Threats to the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Department of Agriculture has successfully concluded a two-and-a-half-day Horizon Scanning Workshop from the 17th - 19th June 2026 aimed at identifying the invasive non-native species that pose the greatest future threat to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

 The workshop was funded under the Darwin Strategic Biosecurity Project and facilitated by the Department of Agriculture. It brought together leading international scientists and local experts to review scientific evidence and prioritise invasive animal, plant, invertebrate, and marine species that could threaten the country's agriculture, biodiversity, public health, economy, and natural ecosystems.

 International experts included representatives from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, University of Exeter, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Newcastle University, University of Liverpool, and the British Forces Cyprus Joint Services Health Unit. Local participants represented the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), Department of Environmental Health, Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Border Force, the National Trust, and the private landscaping sector.

 Participants received presentations on the Darwin Strategic Biosecurity Programme, horizon scanning methodologies, and invasive species surveillance tools. Presentations on current biosecurity and invasive species prevention efforts in the Turks and Caicos Islands were delivered by Ecologist Dodly Prosper of DECR and Chief Plant Protection Officer Roneta Huntley Thomas of the Department of Agriculture.

 Working in multidisciplinary groups, participants assessed and ranked invasive species based on their likelihood of entering the Turks and Caicos Islands and the potential impacts they could have if established. The results will help guide future surveillance, early detection, prevention, and response efforts.

The Department encourages residents to remain vigilant and report any unusual plants, animals, insects, or marine species to the relevant government Department – “protecting the Turks and Caicos Islands from invasive species requires a collective effort”. Additional public awareness activities will be rolled out under the Darwin Strategic Biosecurity Project in the coming months.