Beware of Aliens campaign by the EC

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, and the way we live.

The DG ENVIRONMENT of European Commission launched in 2022 an initiative to raise awareness on IAS amongst stakeholders and citizens, which entailed workshops in several EU countries and consensus on key messages. A package of information material was produced.

Here you can find posters, animations and other resources for raising awareness about IAS. Please download them for use to inform and educate people about biological invasions. We have also included a manual to guide you in communicating about this important issue. Thanks you for playing a part in increasing understanding of IAS!

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Transboundary cooperation for the removal of an invasive river plant

Eradication of the neophyte Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) was a successful joint project of two bordering national parks Thayatal (AT) and Podyjí (CZ) that led to a significant decrease of Himalayan balsam plants in the river valley and return of native plants. The most important success factors were the common approach to river valley management, access to both river banks by Czech staff, change in management of river valley meadows, and ongoing joint monitoring in the river valley.

Supporting UNCCD Parties to embrace gender equality and women’s empowerment as a guiding principle in LDN projects

In 2018 and 2019, IUCN with UN Women and the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) facilitated gender mainstreaming workshops in the Caribbean, the Philippines and Zambia to support development of gender-responsive Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) projects. These workshops, as part of the “Anchoring agreements on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Rio Conventions” project, aimed to meet the specific needs of Parties toward meeting implementation of the UNCCD Gender Action Plan and national LDN targets. The workshops utilised a unique, participatory methodology, bringing together stakeholders from national and local governments, CSOs, women’s groups, and more, to gain a better understanding of gender considerations in LDN specifically, and in the project cycle in general. These workshops complemented a help desk mechanism that provided tailored feedback to nine LDN project proposals made to major funding mechanisms.

Building a market for invasive lionfish control

The Indo-Pacific lionfish is a major threat to Caribbean reefs. Blue Ventures is pioneering efforts to build Belize’s lionfish fishery, creating an economic incentive for the sustained removal of this invasive species while providing an alternative target for fishers and promoting associated cottage industries, reducing dependency on traditionally targeted fisheries. This effort is supported by an integrated lionfish control strategy, which helps to avoid unintended outcomes, and also details alternative targeted removal methods for sites where fishing is not permitted or practical.

Using a participatory and experiential learning approach to incentivize and increase the adoption of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures in Eastern Uganda

Sanzara parish is located in the lower region of Kapchorwa district, bordering the dry Karamoja region. The parish lies in the rain shadow of Mt. Elgon, exposing it to both prolonged drought and increased flooding due to changing precipitation patterns. These conditions, coupled with a growing population, have affected the agricultural potential of the area, causing chronic food insecurity and abject poverty. In many cases, communities struggle for basic survival, as demonstrated by the high rate of ecosystem degradation and the slow uptake of ecosystem restoration interventions. This solution is about incentivizing adoption of EbA measures in Sanzara Parish. It is based on a case study from the Flagship Mountain EbA project, which was implemented on Mt. Elgon from 2011 to 2015. Lessons from this project are the basis for work done under the follow-on project, “Scaling up Mountain EbA project; building evidence, replication of success and informing policy” within the same landscape.

Biofouling management for recreational boating (2022)

The report Biofouling Management for Recreational Boating: Recommendations for improved biosecurity to prevent the introduction and spread of Invasive Aquatic Species was written by William Jonathan Michael Yonge, Senior Consultant, Earth to Ocean, with contributions, editorial review, comments and inputs from Udo Kleinitz, Secretary General and Julian Hunter, Head of Sustainability, ICOMIA; Kevin Smith, Senior Programme Officer Biodiversity Data Impact and Influence, IUCN; Dan Reading, former Head of Sustainability and Alexandra Rickham, Head of Sustainability, World Sailing; Lilia Khodjet El Khil, Project Technical Manager; John Alonso, Project Technical Analyst, GloFouling Partnerships Project, the Department of Partnerships and Projects, IMO; and Teo Karayannis, Head of Marine Biosafety, Marine Environment Division, IMO. Great thanks are also due to Violeta Luque, Senior Project Assistant; and Jurga Shaule, Project Assistant, GloFouling Partnerships project, the Department of Partnerships and Projects, IMO, who provided coordination and editing support to produce this report.

IUCN resources on the prevention and management of IAS and pathways of introduction

The resources listed here, although hosted on external websites, were either produced by IUCN, or completed with the oversight of IUCN, and provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on the ways to prevent, manage and mitigate the impacts of IAS.

Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS)

The Global Register of Invasive Species (GRIS) was developed as a concept and prototype by the IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) in 2006 as part of a project undertaken for the Defenders of Wildlife on the Regulation of Live Animal Imports into the United States.

The concept was revisited and expanded by the ISSG to address Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 and support its achievement- with the development of the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS). GRIIS hosted by the ISSG compiles annotated and verified country-wise inventories of introduced and invasive species. Development and population of the GRIIS was undertaken by the ISSG within the framework of activities of the Information Synthesis and Assessment Working Group of the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership (GIASIP).

IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)

The ISSG is a network of global species on IAS. It facilitates the exchange of information and knowledge on IAS across the world and promotes linkages between knowledge, practice and policy to inform decision-making. The two core activity areas of the ISSG are policy and technical advice, and information exchange through online resources and tools and networking. ISSG is currently working with partners on a global initiative, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) (site is under development), which is aimed at developing national-level validated, and annotated inventories of IAS. ISSG is also working with partners on to develop a prototype online resource IAS pathway management – the Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource. It will include information on IAS pathways and legal information related to the management of specific pathways.

2021

A global register of competences for threatened species recovery practitioners

Competence frameworks are widely used in many professional sectors, helping to develop capacity by defining and recognising the required skills, knowledge and personal attributes. Registers of competences have been developed within the conservation sector. A global register of competences for threatened species recovery practitioners is a register of competences in the form of a directory of the possible skills, knowledge and personal attributes required by practitioners working in threatened species recovery programmes around the world, in both in-situ and ex-situ contexts. This register has the potential to transform approaches to capacity development within threatened species recovery and help improve the effectiveness of this branch of conservation. Its structure largely follows that of A global register of competences for protected area practitioners (Appleton, 2016).