Report of the Bern Convention meeting on Invasive Alien Species, Brijuni National Park (HR), 2009-05-05/07
The 8th Meeting of the Bern Convention Group of Experts on Invasive Alien Species (IAS) was held in Brijuni National Park (HR) on 2009-05-05/07. It was attended by 73;experts from 29 contracting parties and 7 observer organisations (including EPPO). This group meets every two years to follow progress on IAS by States and international organisations and to make proposals for further work on IAS-related matters. The work of this group is a European contribution to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) guidelines on IAS adopted at the 6th meeting of its Conference of Parties (COP).
During this meeting, the delegates presented the progress achieved in the implementation of the European Strategy on IAS. They examined reports on specific issues (IAS and climate change, IAS and biofuels, Code of conduct of horticulture and IAS), made proposals for new activities and prepared 4 new draft recommendations, of which the following 2 concern invasive alien plants:
- Draft recommendation on potentially invasive alien plants being used as biofuel crops;
- Draft recommendation on interpreting CBD definition of invasive alien species to take into account climate change.
Furthermore, the Group of Experts identified a number of subjects in which further work on IAS would be useful at the European level, such as:
- Awareness of codes of conduct;
- National workshop on implementation of the European Strategy;
- Early warning and information systems, rapid response;
- IAS on European islands;
- Guidelines for risk assessment (including guidelines for “fast” risk assessment);
- Guidelines for eradication of invasive plants;
- Manual of best practice in IAS prevention.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/Conventions/Bern/GoE_IAS/default_en.asp#TopOfPage
Sources
Personal communication with Eladio Fernandez Galiano, Bern Convention, 2009.