Invasive Non-native Species in London
Invasive non-native species are a major threat to biodiversity. They can also have serious economic impacts and impacts on social, health and amenity resources.
Most of the non-native species in London do not pose a threat to biodiversity and add to the individuality and richness of London's wildlife and heritage.
However, some invasive non-native species are a cause for concern, and already threatening the value of London's natural environment. The highly urbanised nature of London and the anticipated impacts of climate change are likely to exacerbate the effects of invasive non-native species. Finally, London is an international city and has a higher risk of new non-native species appearing and becoming invasive than some other areas.
London Invasive Species Initiative (LISI)
The London Invasive Species Initiative is tackling these threats by prioritising species for London, providing advice, raising awareness and co-ordinating action on the ground.
LISI's Objectives follow the principles of prevention, detection/surveillance and control/eradication of invasive species:
- Collating and monitoring data on the distribution and spread of invasive species in London.
- Developing action plans to address the species of most urgent concern.
- Facilitating control and eradication projects for high priority species.
- Providing a link between research and practitioners (to help to support the evidence base for invasive species impacts and/or control measures).
- Act as an early warning system for new and emerging invasive species.
- Promoting awareness of the risks and impacts associated with invasive species.
Download the LISI list of Species of Concern in London
For further guidance on invasive non-native species, including management guidance and advice, visit the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat.
For more information about LISI contact Joanna Heisse at the Environment Agency Joanna.heisse [at] environment-agency.gov.uk (To prevent spam, we have removed the '@' from all e-mail addresses on this website. To get in touch, simply copy the e-mail and replace '[at]' with '@')