Aliens Banned

Yesterday, for the forest time in English history, the UK government decided to ban the sale of five non-native invasive aquatic plants (better late than never I suppose?)

Parrot's feather
(Myriophyllum aquaticum)

The plants which have been banned are:

• water fern
• parrot's feather
• floating pennywort
• water primrose
• Australian swamp stonecrop

(The plants highlighted in blue are all species found on the PlantTracker App)



The ban is due to come into force in April 2014.

DEFRA have said that the plants listed in the ban were chosen as they were overwhelming native species and were causing significant environmental and economic harm. As these plants had no natural controls in the wild, they were able to grow rapidly and form dense mats on the surface of rivers and lakes. Leading to the decline of other aquatic species in these waterways as the amount of dissolved oxygen is lowered. These mats also increased the risk of flooding (NNSS). 

I believe this is a step in the right direction to tackle the UK's invasive species problem.

However is it too little, too late? We shall have to wait and see!