CIRIA workshop on invasive species control

CIRIA has developed a best practice manual on the topical subject of invasive species management aimed at a wide range of infrastructure owners, operators and construction professionals.

Presentations and workshops Tuesday, 9 June 2009, Battleby, Perth Scotland.

Organised by Scottish Natural Heritage with CIRIA Scotland, Scottish Construction Centre, Scottish Government and SEPA.

Presentations and workshops.

23rd and 24th June 2009.

Botanical Gardens.

Birmingham.

Organised by Non-Native Species Network and CIRIA/CIEF.

The publication, 'invasive species management for infrastructure managers and the construction industry' is being launched separately in Scotland and England.

The Scotland launch took place on the 9th June at the Scottish Natural Heritage conference centre at Battleby Perth where over 70 people attended.

Feedback from delegates was very positive and supportive of the event particularly as it highlighted the costs to the economy and the environmental and operational benefits to infrastructure owners of managing invasive species..

The day comprised presentations from industry experts followed by interactive workshops.

For England, the launch will be part of a two-day national workshop organised with the Non-Native Species Network.

This will take place on the 23rd and 24th June at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

The themes for day one, horizon scanning, pathways and controls link to legislation and risk management.

The second day focuses on identification, prevention, and control of native and non-native invasive species - the key themes of the CIRIA publication.

Native and non-native invasive plants and animals are those that spread rapidly often becoming dominant and having a negative impact on both local biodiversity and the built environment.

Management of non-native invasive species can be very expensive, often ranging into tens of millions of pounds.

Business and industry bear much of this cost when these affect infrastructure, landholdings, construction and development activities.

A well-informed and structured approach increases the effectiveness in managing these species, protecting biodiversity and other assets while reducing costs.

The guidance and nationwide workshops are relevant to a wide-ranging audience which includes...

- Infrastructure and utility owners and operators - estate managers with land and aquatic assets - private and public sector environmental and biodiversity officers and regulators - environmental consultants and specialist contractors - quarrying and extractive industry land managers - building and construction planners - developers - landscape architects During the NNSNUK networking and learning event in Birmingham a number of key technical, policy and industry issues will be addressed and a wide range of non-native invasive species will be shown to the delegates.

CIRIA's 'Invasive species management for infrastructure managers and the construction industry' publication will be distributed to the delegates.

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