It must be something about our national psyche but we seem to revel in the concept of being an island under siege – the Dunkirk spirit and all that.
We are under siege from an unprecedented invasion of plant and animal species and our worthy legislators are considering what is to be done. A recent report, Invasive Non-native Species in England and Wales, has revealed that in 2012 there were 1,875 non-native species in Great Britain, of which 282 are considered to be invasive, and the number is growing at a rate of around 10 a year. What is contributing to this alarming invasion is the growth in international trade and travel – non-native flora and fauna have a tendency to hitch a ride into this country – and the change in our climate which makes it more conducive for some species to settle down here.
And it is just not their presence which is a cause for concern but the level of damage they cause. The EU estimates that the cost of invasive species is around €12 billion per annum.
Here in Blighty it is estimated that grey squirrels cause around £10m worth of damage to trees per annum, while it has cost £1.5bn per annum to eradicate Japanese knotwood. One Welsh national park spent over £11m to remove rhododendra – personally, I like the rhododendron and was somewhat surprised to see that this colourful shrub is considered to be invasive, but then what do I know? The North American signal crayfish and the killer shrimp prey on fish stocks and devastate the ecosystems of our rivers and lakes. Zebra mussels have a tendency to clog up intake pipes increasing the cost of treating and purifying our drinking water.
And humans are not immune from the effects of these invaders. The fearsome Asian hornet has, fortunately, not travelled to these shores but has already killed six unfortunates in la belle France. Anglers who have come into contact with giant hogweed have come away with skin inflammation and the pollen from common ragweed is said to induce asthma attacks. The oak processionary moth which attacks trees, notably the oak, and which made an appearance in Richmond recently can cause us respiratory and skin problems as well as damage to the native trees.
We are under attack and little do we realise it. Thank goodness our valiant MPs are on the case. I fell so much more relieved!
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