Biodiversity

Invasive non-native species in the Highlands

The Highland Invasive Species Forum meets annually.

It aims to:

• Bring together the key players and take stock of the situation regarding invasive non-native species in Highland
• Raise awareness and spread good practice
• Identify any major gaps and prioritise key areas for future work
• Work together to secure new resources and funding

The top five most important invasive non-native species requiring management in Highland are noted below, along with the date when action was started to tackle the issue:  

• Japanese knotweed - no project underway yet
• American mink - Scottish mink initiative underway since 2010
• Rhododendron ponticum - Highland rhododendron project underway since 2010
• Giant hogweed - projects underway in Inverness-shire, Easter Ross and Nairnshire (2010)
• Himalayan balsam - projects underway in Inverness (2011) and Glen Urquhart (2009)

How to report an Invasive-non-native species

Biological Records Centre - how to record details of a species

Treatment of invasive non-native species is a landowner responsibility.

However, if the invasive non-native species is on Highland Council owned or managed land then we will investigate further e.g. Giant Hogweed growing next to a Primary School then you can submit the information to us at Ecology@highland.gov.uk

Please include the following information:

• Your name
• Your contact information
• Location of invasive non-native species (You can get a grid reference by using https://gridreferencefinder.com/ )
• What invasive non-native species did you see?
• How much of it was there?
• Please attach a photo