Title: Invasive non-native species cost the British economy £1.7 billion every year, a new report suggests
[Cornish Guardian 27 Dec 2010] -- Invasive non-native species such as Japanese knotweed cost the British economy £1.7billion every year, a new report suggested. The researchers found that when such species take hold, crops, ecosystems and livelihoods can suffer. Costs to the English economy are estimated at £1.3 billion because more invasive non-native species (INNS) have become established here, the report claims.
Japanese knotweed is particularly destructive in the South West, where the plant can take over grazing land and ravage pavements and roads.
Environment Agency spokesman Paul Gainey said the knotweed had caused havoc in pockets of the Westcountry.
He said: "It is the most invasive species in Britain, as far as we're concerned, because it can prevent vegetation from growing.
"There are some very strict guidelines about how Japanese knotweed should be removed.
"Once any part of the soil becomes contaminated with it, it is classed as controlled waste which means a company needs to be brought in to remove it."
The species can also have a major impact in urban areas.
A spokesman for Cornwall Council said: "I don't think there is a man-made material in the construction industry which Japanese knotweed won't take root in.
"Part of the problem is that some private land owners think cutting it down will get rid of it. But it will take root elsewhere, doubling the problem.
"Thankfully, its impact is reduced in Cornwall because of the council's management programme which deals with it effectively.
"However, what is equally worrying is how the knotweed can spread. If it gets into the watercourse it can choke up the flow of the river and destroy the river banks."
According to the study, the rabbit is the most economically damaging species, followed by Japanese knotweed.
Other creatures in the top 20 include the rat, the house mouse and the mink, along with plants such as the rhododendron and giant hogweed.
The research was carried out by international scientific organisation CABI for the Scottish Government, Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government. Ministers said the report showed early action was the best way to tackle invasive non-native species.
Richard Benyon, Defra minister for the natural environment, said: "Invasive non-native species have a significant impact on the British economy and damage our own wildlife. The costs of controlling these species will rise unless society takes steps to prevent them taking hold and spreading.
"It becomes increasingly difficult and costly to control invasive non-native species as they become more established. Taking early action may seem expensive, but this report shows that it is the most effective approach, saving money in the long run and helping our native wildlife to thrive."
