PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Invasive alien species (IAS) are recognised as one of the major threats to biodiversity in Europe. In Belgium, 13 plant and five crayfish species included in the EUs List of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern are already established or will soon become established in riparian and aquatic ecosystems, resulting in severe damage. Previously, management decisions on the invasive species and areas toprioritise were made in an ad hoc fashion, mainly due to the diversity of actors involved and the fragmented nature of available data sources. An overarching data-driven and efficient workflow for decision-making based on clear criteria and feasibility for IAS management is lacking. A coherent, replicable and transparent workflow for decision-making is needed to take IAS management to the next level.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE RIPARIAS project aims to develop an innovative evidence-based workflow for decision-making on IAS management, translating national management objectives into concrete actions by maximising the cost effectiveness of management. This will be piloted in the Dijle, Mark and Zenne river basins of the Scheldt river basin district, after which it will be made available for IAS management across Belgium and other EU Member States.
Specifically, the project will seek to:
Improve data flows from surveillance systems to regional IAS managers by ensuring systems interoperability and enhancing surveillance, including for alert species and species not yet listed at EU level. This will allow for rapid eradication of emerging species and cost-effective containment of widespread species; Develop clear guidelines and objective criteria for prioritising management actions for aquatic and riparian IAS, and apply priority actions in the pilot river basins: Dijle (almost 130 000 ha), Mark (nearly 18 000 ha) and Zenne (over 115 000 ha); Improve data flows from management actions to policymakers by monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of IAS management in support of reporting obligations pursuant to Article 24 of the EUs IAS Regulation; and Promote replication of the evidence-based workflow for decision-making on IAS management in Europe, thus contributing to EU-wide implementation of the IAS Regulation and 2020 biodiversity strategy target 5 and to improving the transfer of experience and best practices of IAS management.
RESULTS
Expected results:
Increase in the detection rate of emerging and widespread IAS by 200% and 100%, respectively, in the river basins of Dijle (nearly 130 000 ha), Mark (almost 18 000 ha) and Zenne (over 115 000 ha); Full eradication of 15 isolated populations of the following emerging invasive species: fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana), Persian hogweed (Heracleum persicum), Sosnowsky's hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi), curly waterweed (Lagarosiphon major), floating primrose-willow (Ludwigia peploides), American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus), broadleaf watermilfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum), virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis), red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax f. virginalis), and other species from the alert list; Three water plants floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides), water-primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora) and parrot's feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) managed using the core area approach (involving containment in a core area); IAS removed from 80% of the three river basins territory; Two riparian plants Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) and giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) managed to achieve pest-free areas in 25% of the three river basins territory; Average population decrease of 80% for P. clarkii as well as 90% reduction for 12 ha of H. ranunculoides and more than 100 ha of I.glandulifera by the projects end (KPI species); 100% population decrease five years after the projects end for these three KPI species; 30% recovery of typical plant species in more than 3 ha of Natura 2000 aquatic habitats (natural eutrophic lakes and water courses of plain to montane levels) invaded by H. ranunculoides and in over 26 ha of riparian habitats (tall-herb humid meadows and alluvial forests) invaded by I. glandulifera by the projects end; and 30% increase of perennial herbaceous vegetation at the expense of bare ground cover in more than 100 ha of habitats invaded by I. glandulifera by the projects end.
