TACKLING IRELAND'S INVASIVES

In the last issue of Horticulture Connected we included an expert opinion piece entitled Control Issues, which explored perspectives invasive species in Ireland. Since publication, the Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled plans for an all Ireland research project into invasives. To gain insight into the project we asked one of the coordinators, Dr Joe Caffrey, to explain what’s going to happen and how it might positively impact existing issues

Globally, Invasive Alien Species (IAS), (henceforth invasive species) are considered to be one of the major threats to native biodiversity and the environment, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) citing their impacts as ‘immense, insidious, and usually irreversible’. Invasive species threaten the ecological stability of invaded habitats and native species/communities, while also threatening essential ecosystem functions and services. The societal costs are measured in millions of euros and threats to human, animal and plant health.

In Ireland (and indeed throughout Europe), the approach to invasive species has been fragmented and uncoordinated, as became clear from invited delegates at a major international invasive species conference (FINS: Freshwater Invasives – Networking for Strategy) that was held in Galway in 2013. As a consequence of this lack of coherent action, the rate of invasive species introductions and spread has increased significantly in recent decades. This has resulted in significant adverse impacts on native biodiversity, natural capital, ecosystem services, our local and national economies, and human health in many affected areas, with predictions of increasing problems with climate change.

As an island on the western edge of Europe, Ireland is fortunate to possess a relative paucity of non-native species that can be deemed to be truly invasive. However, those introduced species that are established and invasive (i.e. causing problems) clearly pose considerable difficulties for our unique ecosystems and the Irish economy. A number

of high profile invasive plant species have become established in the Irish landscape in recent decades and, regrettably, some have become regular (and almost accepted) features of our verdant Irish landscape. Foremost among these are Japanese knotweed, related Knotweed species (e.g. Giant and Bohemian), Giant knotweed, Giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Winter heliotrope, Old man’s beard, Rhododendron and Cherry laurel. It is notable that most of these species were purposely introduced into Ireland as ornamentals or to provide attractive ground cover. Some are still being sold, often under ‘assumed’ names, in garden centres in Ireland.

So, do invasive species represent a problem for us as Irish citizens who rely on and enjoy the Irish landscape? Clearly, they do!! If so, what are we doing about it?

Efforts to tackle invasive species have clearly been uncoordinated and very poorly resourced in Ireland to date. National and recently EU legislation to address invasive species problems has been introduced (SI 477 (2011) and EU Regulation 1143/2014, respectively), but these will take time to make their way into the public consciousness and longer to be implemented and enforced. Individual State organisations, a number of local authorities and a handful of interested but disparate groups have recognised the warning signs and have mounted campaigns to tackle the increasing scourge that invasive species represent. Unfortunately, this is too little to address the major and burgeoning issue at hand.

But on a positive note, the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently unveiled a Research Programme (2014 – 2020) where significant funding was assigned to ‘Prevent, Control and Eradicate Invasive Alien Species in Ireland’. One project that was awarded funding for a 3-year research project under this programme is headed by IT Sligo (Dr Frances Lucy) and partnered by INVAS Biosecurity (Dr Joe Caffrey) and Queen's University Belfast (Prof Jaimie Dick). This project will run from 2016 to 2019 and will adopt an all-Ireland approach in its efforts tackle invasive species problems.

As it is widely recognised that eradication of established invasive species is virtually impossible, the project will focus on preventing the introduction of new IAS into Ireland and restricting the spread of existing species. This will be achieved through a coordinated fourpillared programme of research: a) horizon scanning that is aimed at best predicting those invasive species that are not presently in Ireland but that could easily be introduced; b) the development and implementation of best biosecurity practice (e.g. cleaning, disinfection) among stakeholders and the public; c) practical research to develop new and innovative control methods for troublesome invasive species that have, to date, proved difficult to control in Ireland (e.g. winter heliotrope); and d) research to examine the range of communication tools, mechanisms and technologies that are available to aid in the dissemination of useful invasive species information and advice, and to improve on the delivery of this information. Two PhD students will be appointed for the three year duration of the project and their entire focus will be to deliver on the objectives of the project, as agreed with EPA. One student will be based in IT Sligo and the other in QUB, but both will interact closely. The students and the work programme will be supervised by Dr Frances Lucy, Dr Joe Caffrey and Prof Jaimie Dick, invasive species scientists that have worked and collaborated on many national and international projects over the past two decades. This supervisory team brings together acknowledged experience and expertise in the ecology, management and policy implications of invasive species. It further blends academic (IT Sligo and QUB) and realworld action (INVAS Biosecurity) and their complementary skills and acumen.

It is anticipated that the results from this research project will help develop methods to predict and prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species, as well as providing practical control measures for those species that are already wreaking environmental havoc in our landscape. The communications research will explore the multitude of methods available to impart important messages about invasive species and biosecurity to groups as diverse as specialists (e.g. the horticulture industry), state agencies, NGOs, targeted stakeholders and the public. The merits and demerits of various approaches (e.g. social media, smartphone apps, local radio, meetings, training, workshops) will be evaluated and the most impactful methods will be developed and refined. The culmination of the research effort will be the availability of accessible information on invasive species that will encourage the development of coordinated strategies and approaches to tackling these insidious species in Ireland. ✽

DR JOE CAFFREY worked as a Senior Scientist with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) for 39 years. In IFI he headed up the Invasive Species Section, which researched and developed control methods for invasive alien species. Some of the methods developed have received worldwide application. Joe has written in excess of 80 peer reviewed scientific and management papers for national and international journals and is currently a Steering Committee member for 5 PhDs dealing with invasive species. In 2015 Joe took early retirement to join INVAS Biosecurity as a Director, where he is continuing his work with invasive species. Invas Biosecurity provides a professional contracting and consultancy service, based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence, that targets invasive species in aquatic and terrestrial situations. More info: www.invasbiosecurity.ie.