EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 11 - 2013 Num. article: 2013/250

A new Estonian regulation on alien species


As a precautionary principle, the Nature Conservation Act of Estonia states that it is prohibited to introduce live specimens of alien species into the wild, except for the 13 alien ;tree species for which cultivation is permitted according to the Estonian Forest Act.
In addition, the Nature Conservation Act of Estonia states that the controlled use of alien species is allowed in Estonia, except for species listed in the regulation of the Ministry of the Environment, as these species are likely to disrupt ecosystems. Restrictions for species listed in this regulation include: prohibition of import of live specimens and prohibition of transactions with live specimens. This list currently includes 43 species: 13 plant species and 30 animal species.
The 13 regulated plant species are the following: Acroptilon repens (Asteraceae, EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants), Ambrosia spp. (Asteraceae, includes A. artemisiifolia, EPPO List of IAP), Bidens frondosa (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAP), Egeria densa (Hydrocharitaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Elodea nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis and F. x bohemica (Polygonaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Heracleum sosnowskyi (Apiaceae, EPPO A2 List), Impatiens glandulifera (Balsaminaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Solidago canadensis (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAP) and Solidago gigantea (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAP).

Sources

List of invasive species (in Estonian):