005 - Urgent action against the grass <em>Cortaderia selloana</em> outside of its natural distribution range
005 - Urgent action against the grass Cortaderia selloana outside of its natural distribution range
CONSIDERING that invasive alien species are recognised as an important direct or indirect cause of biodiversity loss worldwide;
RECALLING Recommendations 2.79 Introduction of alien species and 2.67 Invasive alien species (both adopted in Amman, 2000), which referred to the damaging effects of invasive species for natural ecosystems, with these effects being increased by global trade and worsened by the effects of climate change;
FURTHER RECALLING the importance of implementing Resolution 5.021 Implementing the provisions on alien species of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 (Jeju, 2012);
HIGHLIGHTING the fact that Cortaderia selloana was included in the list of the 100 most harmful species for Europe by the DAISIE (Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe) project;
ALARMED because today its seeds can be bought easily and cheaply anywhere in the world, without any legal constraints, through different Internet platforms;
HIGHLIGHTING the fact that C. selloana is highly tolerant of extreme conditions that would be very harsh for any other species, and its ecological requirements are not demanding;
CONCERNED about the great capacity of C. selloana to grow in degraded habitats associated with construction sites for linear land transport infrastructures such as roads and railways, in which the dispersive capacity of the seeds is increased across hundreds and thousands of kilometres, coming into contact with habitats of high value and protected natural areas;
FURTHER CONCERNED because its seeds are easily blown up into the air by turbulence caused by passing vehicles, which allows them to be dispersed even on days with little wind; and
FEARING that with the current situation of climate change it is likely that this species will take advantage of the new situation, given how quickly ecological changes are taking place and because of its capacity to adapt to these changes;
1. URGES the Director General to continue to inform IUCN Members about the threat that invasive alien species pose to biodiversity;
2. URGES IUCN Members outside the species’ original range in places where it is currently or may potentially be invasive to:
a. take specific measures in the short term to control its populations and proceed to eradicate it in the medium term;
b. include Cortaderia selloana in the list of species that could be identified in an early detection plan, so as to simplify and lower the cost of controlling it in high-risk areas;
c. take steps to avoid it being introduced to different countries through the trade in garden plants or via Internet sales; and
d. regulate the e-commerce in invasive alien species via the Internet in order to restrict its sale outside its original distribution range;
3. URGES the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) to:
a. support the work carried out by the relevant institutions to deal with the e-commerce in invasive alien species; and
b. define how invasive Cortaderia selloana is in comparison with other aggressive invasive alien species in temperate regions; and
4. CALLS ON governments in the European Union to propose the inclusion of this species in the List of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern.
