PRESS RELEASE - The spread of invasive plant species intends to limit the project of Czech botanists
Prague, June 7, 2022
A new project by experts from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and its partners intends to limit the introduction of invasive non-native plant species into domestic gardens and parks. Worldwide, this is one of the most serious factors reducing biodiversity, competitive displacement of native species and degradation of entire communities of plants and animals. A full 54% of plants in Czech gardens are non-native. The most threatened are rare biotopes and biotopes subject to legal protection. The solution is to grow alternative species that do not exhibit dangerous invasive behaviour. "The spread of invasive non-native species from gardens to the open landscape is not yet a well-known topic, and few gardeners and landscape architects admit the seriousness of this problem. Connecting gardeners with botanists, passing on experience and finding possible solutions is therefore the key," said researcher Kateřina Berchová Bímová. The project Grow safely – do not support invasive plant species is financed by Norway Grants and their program Rago.
Invasive non-native species are brought to new territory by human activities and are able to survive there for a long time, reproduce and spread further. The main parameters for evaluating invasive spread are the impacts on native communities, ecosystem services, the economy and public health. The most affected localities in the Czech Republic are mainly in warmer areas with a high influence of human activity, in the vicinity of large rivers and urban areas (southern Moravia, Polabská nížina, etc.). Post-industrial areas (e.g. Ostrava) also show a high susceptibility to receiving invasive species. Invasive species are widely grown in crops for their high vitality, i.e. a property that determines their invasive behaviour. They are often attractive due to their flower, habit or time of flowering and fruiting.
Lists of invasive species (black and gray lists) and a list of species requiring attention were compiled for the Czech Republic. The black list contains species with a demonstrable impact on the environment, the gray list contains species with limited impact, and the list of species requiring attention defines species that do not yet occur in the territory of the Czech Republic, but cause problems in neighbouring states. In total, 150 plant species are included in these lists - 78 species are blacklisted, 47 species are graylisted and 25 are on the list of species requiring attention.
Species from all the mentioned lists are understood as priority in terms of invasive traits and are the focus of nature conservation attention. As part of conservation measures, their spread is limited and they are liquidated mainly in specially protected areas. However, disposal costs are enormous. Therefore, the most suitable protection is to prevent the spread of these species. In addition to the educational and educational part, the presented project also has a practical part - propagation of "safe species", verification of their ecological traits and subsequent introduction of taxa into culture through botanical gardens, parks, ornamental nurseries and hobby centers.
The Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (ČZU) together with the Research Institute of Ornamental Horticulture (VÚKOZ), the Association for the Establishment and Maintenance of Greenery (SZÚZ) and Coventry University are working on a project called Grow safely – do not support invasive plant species, supported by the program "Environment, Ecosystems and Climate Change ”, funded by Norway Grants 2014-2021, which develops cooperation between gardeners and experts on invasive plant propagation. The project is inspired by the already ongoing Grow Me Instead campaigns from Australia (https://www.ngina.com.au/) and New Zealand (https://www.weedbusters.org.nz/).
Contact for journalists: Karla Mráčková, press spokesperson of ČZU, +420 603 203 703; mrackovak@rektorat.czu.cz