The Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership (GLNP) recently hosted the second meeting of the Greater Lincolnshire Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Group, bringing together organisations and individuals from across the region to discuss the distribution and impact of INNS.
For this meeting, the group turned its attention to one of the UK’s most recognised and economically challenging invasive species, Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica).
The meeting provided an opportunity to explore the challenges the species presents, from impacts on habitats and infrastructure to its distribution across Greater Lincolnshire, the practicalities of controlling established populations and the longer-term question of whether eradication is achievable.
Japanese knotweed was brought over to the UK in the 19th century and has since spread across the country. It is able to spread through fragments of its underground rhizome system, making effective management a long-term challenge. Tackling it successfully requires collaboration between landowners, local authorities, environmental organisations, developers and other stakeholders and needs consistent funding.
The Group also discussed the challenges of Giant Knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis), which is less aggressive than Japanese knotweed but on riverbanks can form thick dense thickets which have a negative impact on the local ecosystem and Bohemian Knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica), an aggressive invasive hybrid which forms from the cross-pollination of Japanese knotweed and Giant knotweed. Unlike Japanese knotweed which cannot spread through seed dispersal, Bohemian knotweed is able to produce fertile seeds.
What to do if you find knotweed in Lincolnshire? Make sure you don’t dig, mow or strim it as this will break the roots and stems allowing it to grow back from small fragments, don’t put it in household waste and do not ignore it, it is not illegal to have knotweed on your land, but allowing it to spread to neighbouring properties or into the wild breaks UK wildlife and environmental laws.
The GLNP also announced the development of a new Greater Lincolnshire INNS Forum. The forum will provide a space for INNS managers and practitioners across the region to maintain regular communication between those working on INNS management, ask questions and offer advice, support coordinated INNS management, share information, ideas, guidance and useful resources and build connections and strengthen collaboration between organisations and individuals working on INNS.
If you would like more information regarding the Greater Lincolnshire INNS Forum or joining the Greater Lincolnshire INNS Group, please contact us via info@glnp.org.uk.
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