Invasive Species
This web page has been created on behalf of the Highland Invasive Species Forum. The group defined Invasive Species as those that are not native to the Highlands and damage native biodiversity. Viruses, bacteria, etc, were not considered, as they fall under the remit of animal health and have considerable resources targeted at them.
It was agreed that the group would prioritise action on those non-native species that are most damaging to biodiversity.
The group first met in June 2008 and at this meeting, its aims were agreed to be to:
- bring together the key players and take stock of the situation regarding invasive non-native species in Highland;
- raise awareness and spread good practice;
- identify any major gaps and prioritise key areas for future work; and
- work together to secure new resources and funding.
To this end, a sub-group was tasked with:
- 1. compilation of (and keeping up to date) a list of the key invasive species in Highland;
- 2. producing a series of awareness raising leaflets on key invasive species in Highland;
- 3. development of projects to begin to control the key invasive species identified in Highland.
These outputs were presented to a meeting of the Highland Invasive Species Forum on the 10th of February 2009.
Minutes of Meetings
If you would like to become a member of the Highland Invasive Species Forum, please contact jonathan.willet@highland.gov.uk.
Leaflets
Four leaflets were produced in late 2009 to raise awareness of some of the key invasive non-native species in Highland. To download these documents click on the links on the right hand side.
Invasive species web links.
Invasive Species in Scotland.
Scottish Government’s web pages on invasive species:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/InvasiveSpecies
SNH Species Action Framework – Invasive non-native species:
http://www.snh.org.uk/speciesactionframework/saf-list.asp#2
Invasive species in the UK.
This site belongs to the Great Britain non-native species secretariat, made up of the government organisations from all 3 countries of Great Britain:
http://www.nonnativespecies.org
Plants
NetRegs
This government site provides free environmental guidance for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. It will help you to understand what you need to do to comply with environmental law and protect the environment. Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam are the invasive weeds that your business is most likely to come into contact with, for further information see:
http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/63095.aspx
Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International CABI
Japanese Knotweed Alliance.
http://www.cabi.org/japaneseknotweedalliance/Default.aspx?site=139&page=64
Himalayan Balsam control advice.
http://www.nerc-wallingford.ac.uk/research/capm/pdf%20files/3%20himalayan%20balsam.pdf (pdf)
Plantlife
Plantlife is the only charity working solely to protect Britain’s wild flowers and plants, fungi and lichens, and the habitats in which they are found.
Invasive Plants
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-campaigning-change-invasive-plants.html
Pond Plants
Plantlife's Pond Alert! campaign which highlights the problem of non-native invasive aquatic plants threatening Scotland's native flora and wildlife. See;
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-scotland-policy-issues.html
Pond Alert Leaflet
Find out which species you should not be using in your garden or community pond and which species would cause fewer problems for our native wildlife. Inform your local garden centre too!
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/assets/saving-species/saving-species-publications/Pond-Alert--Scotland-2006.pdf (pdf)
Problem Plants Leaflet
Avoid these species for the health of your pond and the wider countryside.
Also contains advice on what to do if you already have any of these in your garden
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/assets/saving-species/saving-species-publications/Problem_plants.pdf (pdf)
Rhododendron
Rhododendron advisory paper
Stem injection application - a guide to this relatively new technique
Lever and Mulch Technique. Two papers on the effectiveness of this management technique can be found at http://www.morverncommunitywoodlands.org.uk/downloads.htm
Other species
General
An amateur website looking at species introduction since 1700: http://www.introduced-species.co.uk/index.htm
Marine
MARLIN - The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland ( MarLIN ) provides information for marine environmental management, protection and education. It is a centre of excellence in spatially based and time-series marine biological information and supports good stewardship in the marine environment.
Marine Aliens website:
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/marine_aliens/marine_aliens.htm
Joint Nature Conservancy Council Marine Invasive Species page:
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1532
Mink/Water Voles
www.watervolescotland.org
Hebridean Mink Project
Rats
For further information on the NTS and its work on Brown Rat eradication, see www.ntsseabirds.org.uk
Invasive species action in other countries
Canada
http://www.ec.gc.ca/eee-ias/default.asp?lang=En&n=C4637128-1
USA
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/
Australia
http://www.weedbusterweek.info.au
New Zealand
http://weedbusters.co.nz
South Africa
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/wfw
South Africa - Invasive species indicator database
http://academic.sun.ac.za/cib/iasi/index.asp
South Africa - Kwa-Zulu Natal
http://agriculture.kzntl.gov.za/portal/Services/InvasiveAlienSpeciesProgrammeIASP/tabid/237/Default.aspx
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