Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01586 · Session 4

Statutory control measures for Invasive Non-Native Species

Closed Submitted 13 Oct 2015 Rural Affairs
Signatures
1
52 online signatures with a country
Comments
9
Considered
3 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 to include statutory powers enforced by penalties to force land owners/tenants to destroy invasive non-native species that grow on their lands.

What the petitioner did first

Invasive non-native species (INNS) are a major problem in Scotland. Giant Hog Weed, Japanese Knot Weed and Himalayan Balsam are especially widespread and dangerous. The problem is national and in particular in areas described as “wild land” and river courses. Some plants are very dangerous to people and animals causing severe burns with the risk of death. The above mentioned INNS block out sunlight and kill native species of plants. We have discussed this issue with land owners and farmers, Fishery Trusts, SNH, SWLT, Moray Council and other agencies. All admit that the problem we are describing is a national problem with no statutory powers in Scotland to prevent the INNS from growing and spreading.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 15 Dec 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 23 Feb 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 29 Sep 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

52 online signatures
  1. Scotland41 78.8%
  2. United Kingdom10 19.2%
  3. United States1 1.9%

Comments

9 comments, oldest first
  1. Jim Dartnall 16 Oct 2015
    Urgent attention required on this subject because most of or river banks in Moray are affected.
  2. Gilllian McNeish 16 Oct 2015
    This should have been done years ago to stop these invasive plants.
  3. graeme lees 16 Oct 2015
    time to clean up all the rivers in Scotland, make them excess able to fish and walk. These plants are making the River banks un -usable
  4. MARGARET E. Anderson 16 Oct 2015
    I am appalled that particularly Giant Hogweed has been allowed to get so out of hand in this area, and commend Innes Community Council for submitting this petition.
  5. Michael REID 21 Oct 2015
    Eradicate Invasives
  6. Alastair G Kennedy 23 Oct 2015
    There is no doubt that prompt action is required to ensure INNS are tackled across Scotland. Some voluntary attempts have been made but these have been mostly in small areas and very often towards the mouth of a river eg River Spey. Unfortunately such work is largely ineffective as re-seeding occurs when seeds are transmitted, mainly by water, from further upstream.
    Most burns, rivers and waterways are now badly affected
    - mostly by giant hogweed and little effort is made to change the situation. Obviously hoping this work gets done voluntarily has not worked.
    One really wonders where non-action is leading and what state the countryside will be in and how many people will feel the very painful and ongoing effects of these plants unless legislation is set in place to ensure landowners destroy INNS at source.
    Legislation should give authority to the appropriate bodies which should be tasked with starting work with landowners at the headwaters of waterways, overseeing the eradication of INNS on such land and working downstream so that no further waterborne re-seeding can occur.
    Legislation also requires to be strong enough that it is not less costly for landowners to refuse to do the work on eradication.
  7. Margaret C. McConachie 25 Oct 2015
    The rapid spread of Giant Hogweed has been worrying me for years.
  8. Lansana Bangura 31 Oct 2015
    This petition is well over due and I hope that it will bring much needed action this problem which if not taken will create the country side a no go area. They are dangerous I say this because I have experienced their debilitating effect every summer for well over 18 years. I can assure you it is not pleasant.
  9. Maureen Burrows 25 Nov 2015
    As chairperson of Lennox Community Council which covesr Fochabers to Portgordon by Buckie in the North East of Scotland the subject of Hogweed is constantly on our agenda and we feel we are fighting a losing battle trying to contain it. It is a huuge problem on the banks of the river spey.