Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership

Non-native Species


	The Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative was launched in 2008 to promote the prevention, control and eradication of invasive, alien species. It seeks to do this by:
Collating and monitoring data on the distribution and spread of non-native species in the county; Developing action plans to address the species of most urgent concern; Facilitating control and eradication projects at high priority sites; and Promoting awareness of the risks and impacts associated with non-native species. The Initiative has been established under the umbrella of the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership and works through a stakeholders' forum comprised of representatives from over 20 organisations. It is financially supported by the Broads Authority, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Norfolk County Council and the Water Management Alliance.
Himalayan balsam (Photo credit: Mary Pipes)	Why do invasive non-native species matter? Invasive non-native species pose one of the most serious threats to biodiversity worldwide, second only to habitat loss. The economic impacts of these species can also be severe. Indeed, it has been estimated that damage caused by invasive species amounts to almost five percent of the world economy! In Britain alone, these species cost our economy approximately £2 billion a year.
A massive increase in global trade and travel are two of the main factors contributing to the spread of species outside their natural range. As a nation with a long history of seafaring, England also has a correspondingly long history of species introduction. It is important to remember that the vast majority of these introductions have not had significant negative effects. In 1986, it was estimated that out of all the non-native species established in the UK, only 8.5% of vertebrates, 6.5% of insects and 13.6% of plants can be considered as pests. Indeed, many of our most valuable crop species, such as wheat Triticum aestivum and potatoes Solanum tuberosum, are 'non-native'. Other charismatic species, such as the little owl Athene noctua and horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum, are now widely embraced as a part of UK biodiversity. Those non-native species that do have a significant negative impact are termed 'invasive'. How do we deal with invasive non-native species? The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) encourages a three-stage hierarchical approach to the management of invasive non-native species: The first stage, prevention, is widely considered to be the most efficient and cost effective management approach. Surveillance and monitoring comprise the second stage. It is impossible to prevent all non-native species from establishment. In these cases, it is essential that newly introduced species be detected early and other pre-existing potentially invasive species be monitored to assess whether their status is changing. Historically, non-native species have been under-recorded and the time intervals between surveys too long to detect a change of status in these species early enough for pro-active management. The final stage outlines action against species with an established population (or populations). In this situation, eradication is the most desirable, but often also the most difficult, management strategy. If eradication is not feasible then containment, control and mitigation are all alternative management options.
	In May 2008, 'The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain' was published. This Strategy sets out the high-level framework for Government policy dealing with invasive non-native species and is amongst the first of its kind in Europe, putting the UK at the forefront of policy development in this area. The Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative will play a key role in translating this high-level framework into projects producing tangible results 'on the ground' in the county. To view the full Framework Strategy, please click here.
The Norfolk Non-Native Species Initiative Norfolk is a county rich in biodiversity. We are surrounded by a wealth of plant and animal life. Whilst this has great benefits, it does mean that the county is more vulnerable than most to the impacts of invasive alien species. To address the threat of these species, the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership has taken the lead by launching the Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative.
(Photo Credit: J. Patrick Fischer)	We have a heritage of pro-active management of invasive non-native species in Norfolk. During the 1980s, coypu Myocastor coypus was successfully eradicated from the area. The species established a feral population during the 1920s (following escape from fur farms). Coypu causes damage to agricultural crops and undermines river banks, so the economic impacts of this species are clear.
Coypu was also causing damage to biodiversity through intensive grazing of native plant species. Despite the high cost of this eradication operation, recent cost-benefit analysis has provided evidence that this pro-active approach makes economic sense in the long run. In Italy, where ongoing permanent control of the species is in place, management has cost €14 million over only six years. This is compared with the cost of the eradication in Britain (East Anglia formerly held the only UK population of coypu) which cost only €5 million spread over 11 years. The species also continues to expand its range in Italy, increasing damage and economic losses at a national scale. A Call for Data The current focus of the Initiative is on invasive aquatic and riparian plant species. The following six species have been identified by stakeholders as being a high priority for action: Australian swamp stonecrop Japanese knotweed Giant hogweed Floating pennywort Himalayan balsam Parrot's feather To facilitate more strategic and priority-driven management of invasive non-native species, the Initiative is gathering and collating data on the distribution of these species across Norfolk. If you hold records for these then please do let us know! In addition to these six priority species, the Initiative would welcome records on all invasive alien species found in Norfolk. For a full, categorised list of invasive non-native species of concern in Norfolk please click here. Other ways to help Many invasive aquatic plants have spread from private garden ponds to the wild due to a lack of basic understanding of these species, their potential impacts and safe methods of disposal. For more information on these species, please click here. "Top Ten Tips" for stopping the spread of invasive species NNNSI Newsletters August 2009 Newsletter April 2009 Newsletter January 2009 Newsletter Norfolk Non-native Species Stakeholders' Forum 18 February 2009 Forum Reports and Publications Status Report and Action Plan 2009-2013 More Information GB Non-native Species Secretariat Global Invasive Species Programme IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe (DAISIE)

Send mail to scott.perkin@norfolk.gov.uk with questions or comments about this web site. This page was printed from the Norfolk Biodiversity Website : http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/