Approach to managing IAS dispersal within the EU

• manmade corridors, such as infrastructure linking previously unconnected regions, including canals, roads and railways;

230 The IMO BWM framework provides incentives for risk reduction. The ship owner pays the costs of risk assessment: if the vessel is exempted on the basis of that risk assessment, s/he does not need to buy a ballast water treatment system.

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• natural (ecological) corridors, which may facilitate the (unaided) dispersal of IAS, including in the context of EU policies for ‘green infrastructure’ to increase resilience to climate change.

These types of pathways are fundamentally different but share key characteristics. Dispersal opportunities are created or increased by projects and policies that pursue important EU objectives: improved inter-regional links for socio-economic development throughout the EU and improved landscape connectivity as part of climate change adaptation. This involves inevitable policy trade-offs – thus reinforcing the need for ex ante prevention at the EU level in line with 5.1 and 5.2 above. In both cases, an integrated approach to spatial and sector planning is needed to minimise risks to the extent feasible.

Manmade corridors

Human-facilitated corridors may facilitate movement of species within a country or province or may have a larger-scale effect by connecting previously isolated biogeographic regions where the likelihood of environmental impacts might be greater. Canals, tunnels and island-mainland bridges are examples of this type of infrastructure.²³¹

The EU baseline generally contributes to ensuring that the environmental impacts of infrastructure development and spatial planning at EU level are minimised. More specifically, the transport sector has committed to mitigate its negative environment impacts and take all elements of sustainability into account, including landscape fragmentation due to expanded transport infrastructure.²³² Within this context, activities under the Strategy may support:

• integration of IAS criteria, including dispersal risks, into EU SEA/EIA frameworks for transport infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and canals);

• development of guidance on avoidance/mitigation strategies to be undertaken by developers, coupled with support for research into barrier technologies;

• mainstreaming consideration of climate change-related risks in the management of aquatic infrastructure e.g. droughts and floods are expected to pose growing problems in inland waterways.²³³

In the WFD context, methods for identifying the risk of spread and invasion to previously unaffected water bodies need to be identified for use under Article 5 (river basin characterisation). Rapid responses can be then targeted appropriately under Article 11 (programmes of measures) where water bodies are not in good ecological status due to IAS (ECOSTAT 2009: Conclusion 3). Inter-agency and cross-border cooperation are critical to leverage investments (for an example of large-scale formalised coordination on aquatic IAS, see e.g. US Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force in Annex 2).

231 Trans-biogeographical corridors that enable species to move beyond their natural range include canals (e.g. connecting river catchments and seas or connecting different seas e.g. the Suez Canal), tunnels (e.g. linking mountain valleys) and bridges (e.g. between islands and mainlands) (Hulme et al. 2009).

232 Sustainable Transport COM (EC 2009a).

233 IPCC (2007), Fourth Assessment Report.

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LIFE+ funding can be used to support measures to limit IAS dispersal through aquatic corridors. For example, the CAISIE Project (Control of Aquatic Invasive Species and Restoration of Natural Communities in Ireland) is a large-scale IAS management project, implemented by the Central Fisheries Board from 2010, to control IAS in major parts of the canal system linked to Lough Corrib which is a key dispersal route for IAS.²³⁴

Natural (ecological) corridors for unaided dispersal

This pathway involves natural expansion in species ranges, not linked to human-mediated introductions. European IAS experts have recommended that the concept of ‘alien’ should not be interpreted to include native species naturally extending their range in response to climate change, which could lead to them being unnecessarily controlled (see 4.2).

The Commission’s upcoming policy to increase landscape connectivity between habitats and Natura 2000 sites and facilitate species migration will increase natural spread opportunities for IAS in the same way as for native species. In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, this will support coordinated development of and investment in ‘green infrastructure’²³⁵in the 83% of EU territory falling outside the Natura 2000 network (COM 2010).

Policy trade-offs are also recognised under the CBD which encourages Parties to reconcile the need for gradual adaptation of biodiversity and ecosystems to climate change and other environmental pressures with the need to mitigate the impacts of existing and potentially new IAS. Activities to increase the adaptive capacity of species and the resilience of ecosystems (including possible ex situ measures such as relocation, assisted migration and captive breeding where natural adaptation will be difficult) should take the precautionary approach into account to avoid unintended ecological consequences such as IAS spread.

Prevention efforts for natural dispersal in the wider landscape therefore need to be treated as a management issue within a broader integrated framework. Some highly mobile IAS - such as the corn rootworm – can spread from just one or a few points of introduction across much of Europe. Lack of an integrated approach to the pinewood nematode, for example, enabled the island of Madeira to become infested as well as continental Portugal.

The existing PHR regime only covers spread through movement but its possible extension to cover natural spread has been considered through the PHR Evaluation. This could feasibly increase opportunities to use existing solidarity funds to support measures to halt further spread. Cross-sectoral action plans to address movement and natural spread of ‘IAS of EU concern’ could also be developed in collaboration with the plant health, agriculture, forestry and other key sectors (see further 5.4.4).

234 source: NOBANIS Newsletter No.3/2010.

235 ‘Green infrastructure’ is an interconnected network of natural areas, including agricultural land, greenways, wetlands, parks, forest reserves, native plant communities and marine areas that naturally regulate storm flows, temperatures, flood risk and water, air and ecosystem quality.

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