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To: The Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat
STOP INVASIVE SPECIES DESTROYING NATIVE HABITATS
England needs to replicate the "Scottish Species Control Orders" and HOLD LANDOWNERS RESPONSIBLE for protecting their land against invasive species, such as Rhododendron Ponticum which is particularly relevant to our situation.
LEGAL POWERS NEED TO BE INTRODUCED to be able to take effective action, quickly and comprehensively, when invasive species are identified as a threat and landowners have failed to act endangering the existence of native species.
INVASIVE SPECIES ARE DESTROYING NATIVE HABITATS AT AN ALARMING RATE CAUSING IRREVOCABLE DAMAGE TO ECOSYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR CENTURIES.
LEGAL POWERS NEED TO BE INTRODUCED to be able to take effective action, quickly and comprehensively, when invasive species are identified as a threat and landowners have failed to act endangering the existence of native species.
INVASIVE SPECIES ARE DESTROYING NATIVE HABITATS AT AN ALARMING RATE CAUSING IRREVOCABLE DAMAGE TO ECOSYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR CENTURIES.
Why is this important?
Invasive species cause the loss of biodiversity, as well as the extinction of native plants, animals and fungi. Invasive species are introduced into an ecosystem by humans who release the non-native species into the wild. The invasive species wreck native ecosystems and will eventually cause the extinction of hundreds of native species.
THE PROBLEM
In England a major barrier to the effective control of invasive species lies in the INABILITY OF RELEVANT AUTHORITIES TO ACCESS LAND where problem species have become established. Neither can they force the landowners to notify them of the presence of named species nor can they take action to address invasions where it is reasonable to do so.
THE SOLUTION
In Scotland this problem has been rectified within Scottish legislation with the creation of ‘SPECIES CONTROL ORDER’ under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011. Ths act empowers authorities, LAND CAN NOW BE ACCESSED IN SCOTLAND, and COSTS CAN, if necessary, be recovered from landowners who do not take action.
FINANCIAL COST
In Britain approximately £1.7billion is spent every single year on trying to tackle the problem of invasive non-native species. The Woodland Trust spends approximately 4-5% of their total site management budget tackling Invasive Non Native Species (INNS), predominantly Rhododendron Ponticums
THE PROBLEM
In England a major barrier to the effective control of invasive species lies in the INABILITY OF RELEVANT AUTHORITIES TO ACCESS LAND where problem species have become established. Neither can they force the landowners to notify them of the presence of named species nor can they take action to address invasions where it is reasonable to do so.
THE SOLUTION
In Scotland this problem has been rectified within Scottish legislation with the creation of ‘SPECIES CONTROL ORDER’ under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011. Ths act empowers authorities, LAND CAN NOW BE ACCESSED IN SCOTLAND, and COSTS CAN, if necessary, be recovered from landowners who do not take action.
FINANCIAL COST
In Britain approximately £1.7billion is spent every single year on trying to tackle the problem of invasive non-native species. The Woodland Trust spends approximately 4-5% of their total site management budget tackling Invasive Non Native Species (INNS), predominantly Rhododendron Ponticums
