A new action plan to protect the UK’s biodiversity, ecosystems and economy from the growing risks posed by invasive alien species is being unveiled today (27 February) by Defra in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments.
Alien species are one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss globally. New figures show an estimated cost to the UK economy of £1.84 billion a year. There are currently around 2000 non-native species in the UK, with 10-12 new species becoming established each year.
They disrupt habitats and ecosystems, prey on or displace native species, spread disease, and compromise the genetic integrity of native species
Climate change is expected to increase risks from new non-native species due to more frost-free winters and increased flooding events. Habitats suffering from degradation may also be more vulnerable to invasion and disease, increasing the risk to natural habitats rich in biodiversity.
The newly updated Strategy on Invasive Alien Species sets a new framework to address the existing and growing threat posed by alien species and commits to reducing alien species operations by at least 50 percent compared to 2000 levels, with the internationally agreed-upon CBD Target 6 on invasive alien species.
This follows previous work on containing invasive species. Since 2015 we have eliminated the American bullfrog from the UK and there are successful eradication programs for the redhead duck and the kale, a type of freshwater fish.
The prevention, eradication and management of invasive alien species will underpin implementation of the strategy domestically with increased alignment across the UK and with other biosecurity systems such as plant health.
Concrete actions include increased capacity for border and post-border inspections, further assessment of the most risky routes and mechanisms for the introduction and spread of invasive alien species, and further enhancements to our rapid response systems.
Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity said:
Invasive species threaten nature and our economy. Today’s announcement demonstrates this government’s unwavering commitment to protecting these species for the immediate benefit of the country and future generations.
By taking coordinated action across the UK to prevent the arrival of new alien species and tackle the impact of established species, we can minimize the potentially devastating ecological and economic impacts of these species. A vigilant public can also play a key role, reporting suspicious sightings of new invasive species to ensure they are accurately identified.
Scotland’s Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:
This updated strategy will allow continued collaboration between devolved governments to combat the spread of invasive species and the damage they can inflict on native wildlife, our natural environment and even our economy. It will complement our new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, which recognizes invasive alien species as the main cause of biodiversity loss and sets out the actions we are taking to control and eradicate them.
Here in Scotland we also fund a number of large-scale projects to control invasive species through our Nature Restoration Fund and are developing a range of measures to combat established INNS such as Rhododendron, the proliferation of which poses a major threat to native forests, including the Atlantic Forest.
Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said:
I welcome the introduction of this strategy. Invasive alien species can pose a significant threat to our environment, and climate change is likely to increase that threat. The strategy includes measures to protect biodiversity, people and the economy from invasive alien species.
This strategy fulfills the commitments set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan to provide an updated invasive alien species strategy. It follows the release last year of the Plant Biosecurity Strategy, which set out a five-year vision for plant health, consisting of an action plan to ensure national biosecurity, protect native species and promote economic growth.
The strategy also emphasizes the collective role and responsibility we all have in maintaining high biosecurity standards, such as cleaning equipment that has been used in one environment before moving it to another, and the importance of selecting and planting the right ones Plants and trees in our gardens to prevent the spread of invasive non-native species. The public can report suspicious sightings of new invasive species through iRecord, a tool that brings together wildlife sightings from many sources so they can be peer reviewed and made available to support research and decision making. These messages align with the UK Government’s longstanding awareness campaigns: ‘Check Clean Dry’ and ‘Be Plant Wise’.
Additional Information:
The strategy builds on the work done under the previous strategy in 2015, after an independent review was commissioned in 2020 to identify achievements and areas for improvement. The results of this review, published in January 2021, have informed the development of the updated strategy.
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