LIFE project update
The LIFE project ‘Mitigating the threat of invasive alien plants in the EU through pest risk analysis to support the EU Regulation 1143/2014’ will have risk assessed 16 invasive alien plants upon its completion in June 2018. The final expert working group for the project will be held between 2017-10-16/20. During this meeting, six experts will evaluate the risks to the EPPO region from Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae) and Lespedeza sericea (Fabaceae). T. sebifera commonly known as Chinese tallow is a medium sized tree native to Asia and introduced to North America, Africa and Australia. The species is currently absent from the wild in the EPPO region. L. sericea is native to Asia and has been introduced into North America where it was widely planted for erosion control. Again, L. sericea is absent from the EPPO region.
Sources
EPPO Secretariat (2017-10).