Public can help in the fight against species that threaten wildlife

Killer shrimps, topmouth gudgeons and floating pennywort are among species which pose a risk to native species and were up for discussion at the Yorkshire Invasive Species Forum’s first seminar at The Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield.

The seminar was organised by Nick Simms from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and was attended by representatives of the Environment Agency, Don Catchment Rivers Trust, and the River Stewardship Company among others.

Participants concluded that there were measures members of the public could take to lessen the impact caused by several species, including Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said key to reducing the harmful impact to natural habitats was to ensure people cleaned and dried footwear and fishing equipment after a day out as this can help prevent the transfer of invasive species from one area to the next.

The forum also heard about a free app called Plant Tracker which is available to download on iPhones and Android smartphones. It can be used to record sightings of invasive species, whether the user has any knowledge of the plants or not.

The app allows users to take a photograph of a suspected invasive plant and submit it to a database where it is verified and GPS information establishing its location is recorded.

This information is then available for experts, such as those at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, to download and analysed to inform management plans for areas considered a threat.

Pondlife should also be disposed of carefully, the forum heard. Unwanted pond plants and fish should not be disposed of in local watercourses as this could also increase the spread of invasive species.

n More information about the Yorkshire Invasive Species Forum is available via the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s website. Visit www.ywt.org.uk