IUCN Conference on invasive alien species in urban areas in Europe in Gland (CH), 2013-09-05
Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to invasive alien species, due to the amount of commodities arriving or passing through these areas for trade and commercial activities.
The IUCN will therefore organize a conference on invasive alien species in urban environments on the 5th of September at the IUCN Global Headquarters in Gland (CH). This event will offer an interactive forum for discussion, knowledge sharing, networking and action. The following themes will be addressed:
- The occurrence of invasive alien species in urban environments, key pathways and impacts;
- European cities as privileged centers for information campaigns and awareness raising initiatives on IAS issues (e.g. impact, costs, management) and for targeting the general public, stakeholders, policy and decision makers;
- Strategies for preventing the release/escape of invasive alien species in urban environments;
- Options for implementing an early warning and rapid response system in Europe;
- Establishment of networks encompassing different taxa and countries to monitor the occurrence and spread of IAS in urban environments;
- Best practices to eradicate/control invasive alien species in European cities;
- The role of an EU policy framework to combat invasive alien species;
- Engagement of civil society in reducing the risk of invasive alien species in the urban environment.
In advance of the conference, IUCN will compile an overview of case studies of approaches to control, manage and eradicate invasive alien species or to prevent their introduction in urban environments in Europe. IUCN is therefore launching a questionnaire to collect case studies, which is available at the link below:
www.fh-erfurt.de/urbio/httpdocs/content/downloads/IUCN_Template_for_case_studies_IAS_in_urban_areas.pdf
Sources
IUCN Conference on invasive species in urban areas in Europe in Gland (CH), 2013-09-05.