New plan agreed to deal with invasive species

New plans have been developed by Bridgend County Borough Council outlining how the authority intends to prevent invasive plants and wildlife from damaging local habitats, buildings, roads and other infrastructure.

The council’s new Invasive Non-Native Policy sets out how the authority will deal with common invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam, both of which can spread rapidly and in large quantities.

It also accounts for certain types of invasive wildlife such as signal crayfish, which can erode and collapse riverbanks, and zebra mussels, which can block and damage pipes.

With an Invasive Species officer in post to oversee the implementation of the policy, the council intends to work closely with neighbouring local authorities to control and prevent the spread of invasive species across southern Wales.

Under the policy, a list of invasive species which present a risk to the environment or to local levels of biodiversity will be established and maintained, and each will receive an individual action plan outlining how the council intends to deal with it.

With preferred control methods continuing to include a mix of chemical and mechanical treatments, a new procedure will be introduced for managing fresh reports of invasive species, and enforcement action will be taken when they encroach onto council-managed land through fly-tipping or neglect. 

This policy has been developed after a report by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs highlighted how invasive species were causing billions of pounds worth of damage across the UK, killing off native species and exposing local authorities to the risk of legal action.

While we do not believe that every type of invasive species covered by this policy is currently present within the county borough, it makes sense to plan ahead now for all possibilities.

The overall goal is to eradicate all invasive non-native species in the county borough. While achieving that is going to require a great deal of co-ordination and partnership working, having the Invasive Non-Native Policy in place is an excellent start.

Cllr Paul Davies, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment