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MPs urge creation of ‘citizens army’ to help fight invasive species
Amillion-strong army of public volunteers is needed to help fight invasive species, a group of cross-party MPs has concluded. The proposed initiative is part of a raft of measures a parliamentary environmental group would like to see implemented to help halt the onslaught of alien organisms entering the UK, estimated to cost Britain’s economy £1.8 billion a year.
It estimates 40 non-native species will become invasive within 20 years. Measures would include training volunteers to help identify and respond to biosecurity outbreaks, modelled on a system developed in New Zealand, where alien plants and animals have devastated native ecosystems. More than 400,000 New Zealanders are now estimated to be part of a community group that manages weeds or pests, while 90 per cent of businesses are actively engaged in managing risks associated with their trade.
In their report MPs in the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) concluded Government had missed legal targets to deal with the problem, failing to give it the same priority and funding as animal and plant health regimes, such as biosecurity, estimated to receive £220 million per year. Invasive non-native species or INNS receives just £0.9 million.
While the report covered all invasive animals and plants, plants and organisms attacking plants were high profile, with oak processionary moth caterpillars, chalara disease of ash and invasive aquatic plants identified as indicators where government measures were considered ‘too little, too late’. “We’re witnessing changes from climate change that put the future of our natural landscape at risk,” said EAC chair, Mary Creagh.
MPs voiced disappointment at the lack of engagement by the horticultural trade, with limited evidence supplied as to what measures they were implementing to prevent outbreaks. In the UK’s new trading environment post Brexit the spectre of organisms entering via other trade routes, such as South America and Asia, was highlighted, along with concern at the increased risk of further invasive species arriving through e-commerce websites.
“If it's emerging that online trading is proving a route for banned species and it isn't satisfactorily dealt with by online retailers, we must take action,” said Lord Gardiner, Parliamentary Under Secretary for agri-body DEFRA.
■ To read the paper visit www.gov.uk/government/ publications.