Invasive Non-Native Species meaning

Japanese knotweed Japanese knotweed was brought to the UK in the 19th century as an ornamental garden plant. In Japan it had been used to stabilise sand banks, and it has been suggested it served a similar role in the UK on embankments. Free from the competitors, diseases and animals that restrain it in its native range, its unchecked, invasive habit soon made it a pest here. Because only female plants were introduced, there was no pollen from male plants, so fertile seeds failed to form. Consequently, virtually all knotweed in the UK has spread from tiny fragments of plant material, mainly roots, carried to new places within knotweed-contaminated soil. The plant expands rapidly below ground and sends up annual shoots each spring. Roots and shoots alike can exploit cracks in buildings and hard surfaces such as concrete and tarmac, gradually causing significant damage. The root system can reach several metres deep and extend several metres from the above ground stems...

STOP PRESS: The Conservation of Habitats and Species (Offshore Wind) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2026, anticipated to commence on 25 May 2026, set out a tailored regime of compensatory measures for relevant offshore wind activity, revising the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Notably, the standard compensatory provisions are switched off for relevant offshore wind projects and substituted with fresh obligations tied to enhancements for the UK MPA network. This Practice Note will shortly be revised to capture these updates. The Practice Note reviews controls and regulatory considerations safeguarding wildlife, habitats and landscapes in Scotland, and how these may affect and influence developers and landowners. It surveys the legal and regulatory framework for protected sites, including special areas of conservation (SACs), special protection areas (SPAs), sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), Ramsar sites, marine protected areas (MPAs), national scenic areas (NSAs) and wild land areas (WLAs). It outlines which species, plants, hedgerows and trees are protected, and those categorised...

The Weeds Act 1959 (WA 1959) governs injurious weeds. It has effect in England, Wales and Scotland (as amended) but not in Northern Ireland. This Practice Note relates only to England and Wales. What are injurious weeds? Injurious weeds are those specified in the WA 1959: Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) Curled dock (Rumex crispus) Creeping or field thistle (Cirsium arvense) Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Each is native or long-naturalised and occurs widely across the UK. The minister may, via regulations, designate additional injurious weeds within the scope of the WA 1959. Defra provides guidance on identifying the injurious weeds listed in the WA 1959. The WA 1959 regime is distinct from the framework controlling invasive non-native species. Those weeds are native or well-established and are controlled purely to prevent agricultural harm. By contrast, invasive non-native species are primarily dealt with under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and, in...