AQUA - Biosecurity Accreditation

11/06/2026

Save the date! Invasive Species Week 2026 will take place from 22 to 28 June 2026.  Invasive non-native species (plants and animals) threaten the survival of native wildlife and our natural ecosystems, cost the economy nearly £2 billion a year, and can even harm our health and interfere with activ...

22/05/2026

An awesome 2 days learning about marine INNS at the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth, such a great course and not as hard as I thought it was going to be! Thank you Severn Estuary Partnership for the invite!

22/05/2026

GBNNSS Message - There is just over a month to go until Invasive Species Week 2026 (22-28 June)!

Throughout the week we will be hosting a series of daily webinars, click on the links to find out more and register:
• Monday 22 June, 12:00-13:00: "Researching the impacts of invasive non-native species" with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
• Tuesday 23 June, 12:00-12:45: "Yellow-legged hornet contingency response" with the National Bee Unit.
• Wednesday 24 June, 13:00-14:00: "Marine Invasive Non-Native Species – what can we do about them?" with Natural England.
• Thursday 25 June, 12:00-12:45: "Using citizen science to prevent future spread of invasive non-native plants" with Coventry University.
• Friday 26 June, 14:00-15:00: "Bermuda's Biosecurity" with speakers from the Government of Bermuda and Bermuda National Trust.

The NNSS is hosting a series of daily webinars throughout Invasive Species Week. View details and registration links below: Monday 22 June, 12:00-13:00: "Researching the impacts of invasive non-native species" with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Learn more and register to attend "Research...

15/05/2026

Awesome!

Great to see rust spores growing on the stem of a Himalayan balsam plant on one of our test sites in the region. Himalayan balsam is one of the non-native invasive plant species that we’re trying to control across the catchment. It forms dense monocultures that reduce biodiversity, cause riverbank erosion and increase the chance of flooding.

For the past few years, we’ve been trialling a biological control technique which releases a
co-evolved rust pathogen that exclusively attacks Himalayan balsam plants, reducing their vigour and seed production whilst leaving the indigenous species intact. It is hoped this will help restore affected riverbanks and native habitats over time.

The rust fungus is a natural enemy of Himalayan balsam, is highly specific to this particular plant, and has undergone extensive testing against over 74 species including crops and closely-related UK-native plants to make sure that it doesn’t attack other species. It has been approved for release by DEFRA.

Once established, it is hoped that the rust fungus will become self-sustaining, controlling the Himalayan balsam population in a way that is reliable, cheap and environmentally benign.

The trial is being led by CABI and delivered through the LIFE WADER and Destination Tweed projects.

LIFE WADER Destination Tweed UK

27/03/2026

Bit of a rainy one but no invasive found so all good!!

23/03/2026

https://www.nonnativespecies.org/what-can-i-do/invasive-species-week

Save the date! Invasive Species Week 2026 will take place from 22 to 28 June 2026.  Invasive non-native species (plants and animals) threaten the survival of native wildlife and our natural ecosystems, cost the economy nearly £2 billion a year, and can even harm our health and interfere with activ...

20/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16k7pyHthX/

09/06/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A1wRcaYBZ/

Yellow-legged Asian hornet map 6.6.25
Currently 29 confirmed sightings and two nests in 2025

For details and photos visit
https://www.bbka.org.uk/asian-hornet-incursion-map

16/05/2025

16/05/2025