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Finland´s National STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ! ALIEN SPECIES Title of publication: Finland´s National Strategy on Invasive Alien Species 2012 Publisher: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland Cover photos: Tiina Lausjärvi Maiju Lehtiniemi Veikko Rinne Terhi Ryttäri Jouni Tulonen Ilmari Valovirta Marcus Wikman Layout: Kirsti Pohjapelto For public use in internet: http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/frontpage/natural_resources/invasive_alien_species.html ISBN 978-952-453-726-1 (electronic version) FINLAND´S NATIONAL STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES Helsinki 2012 3 Alien species are organisms that have spread from their natural distribution range to a new area through human action, whether intentionally or unintentionally. In other words, an alien species has migrated over natural barriers to migration (such as a continent, a sea or a mountain range) with intentional or unintentional human assistance. Generally alien species adapt poorly to their new environment and are quickly destroyed. In some cases, however, alien species thrive in their new environment, establishing a permanent and propagating population. A few of these thrive remarkably well, so much so that they cause severe damage to indigenous species, ecosystems, crops, forestry or other areas of the economy and thus pose a serious threat. They may also cause significant financial damage by affecting human, animal or plant health or by decreasing the value of properties, or by causing social or aesthetic harm- ful impacts. Alien species that cause obvious harmful impacts are known as invasive alien species. 4 FINLAND´S NATIONAL STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES FOREWORD n 15 March 2012, the ready established in Finland, what their harmful OGovernment adopt - impacts are and what we – the authorities, oth- ed a Resolution on the er actors, and private citizens – should do about National Strategy on this. The Strategy proposal provided an excellent Invasive Alien Species. foundation for the Government Resolution now With the addition of an adopted. action plan and back- ground material on in- The environment for preparing the Strategy was vasive alien species in favourable, also in terms of timing. The EU is pre- Finland, this marks paring Community-wide legislation on this mat- the first time that such ter. Once this EU legislation is enacted, it will an extensive analysis be extremely useful for Finland to have careful- of Finland’s invasive alien species and means for ly considered and well-prepared groundwork al- combating them is being conducted, taking all ready in place for implementing the requirements 5 possible perspectives into account. of EU legislation in meeting the challenges posed by alien species. Developing legislation on alien Preparing Finland’s National Strategy on Invasive species also in Finland is a good way of minimis- Alien Species became necessary for a number of ing the harmful impacts of invasive alien species reasons. In recent years, invasive alien species already established in Finland and of preventing have affected an increasing number of Finns and the arrival of new invasive alien species. Improved also the livelihoods of many. Numerous messages co-ordination in the form of an expert and moni- sent to the Ministry by private citizens reflect the toring body is also a highly justifiable measure, as great public concern for the hazards and damage is the establishment of an ‘alien species portal’ to already caused by some of these species. There is bring together available information on the topic thus a call for a uniform and coherent national in Finland. set of instructions, a strategy, for preventing or at least ameliorating the impacts of invasive alien Although we can already anticipate several trends species. related to invasive alien species, it is impossible to estimate all of the challenges that alien species The Government Resolution was preceded by will pose in the future. In addition to implement- three years of pioneering preparation involving ing the National Strategy on Invasive Alien Spe- an extensive number of the finest Finnish experts cies, we must continuously monitor and improve in the field. The proposal for a National Strategy our operations in the light of the most recent in- on Invasive Alien Species represented the efforts formation available. We will need the authorities, of at least 100 experts and contained suggestions other actors and private citizens to co-operate in for concrete measures to address these problems. this too. The collecting of information in the course of pre- paring the Strategy proposal, such as identifying invasive alien species and charting the overall al- ien species situation in Finland, is in itself a valu- able contribution to our national knowledge. We Jari Koskinen need to know which invasive alien species are al- Minister of Agriculture and Forestry FINLAND´S NATIONAL STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES CONTENTS FOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................5 SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................9 GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION ON FINLAND´S NATIONAL STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES I STRATEGY ................................................................................................................................. 13 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 13 Threats and risks caused by invasive alien species ...................................................... 14 GOAL OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY ON INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES .................................. 15 APPROACH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY ON 6 INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES ....................................................................................................... 15 MEANS FOR PREVENTING AND MINIMISING THE threats AND HARMFUL impacts OF invasive ALIEN SPECIES .............................................................................. 15 Develop legislation .......................................................................................................... 16 Improving communications .......................................................................................... 16 Organisation-specific targeting...................................................................................... 16 Other means .................................................................................................................... 17 OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN FINLAND ........................................................................... 17 IMPACTS OF THE STRATEGY .................................................................................................. 18 General .............................................................................................................................. 18 Environmental impacts ................................................................................................... 18 Financial impacts and impacts on business ................................................................. 19 Impacts on central government finances ...................................................................... 20 Social impacts ................................................................................................................. 20 MONITORING AND MIDTERM EVALUATION OF THE GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION ............................................................................................................................ 21 IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................................... 21 Limitations to the implementation of the strategy ...................................................... 21 II BACKGROUND.......... ............................................................................................................... 23 THREAT FROM ALIEN SPECIES .............................................................................................. 23 Threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services ............................................................. 23 Threats to actors in society and the economy .............................................................. 24 Economic impacts .......................................................................................................... 25 Future threat: accelerated spreading of alien species and increasing risks ............. 26 FACTORS CONDUCIVE TO THE SPREADING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF ALIEN SPECIES ........................................................................................................................ 26 ARRIVAL AND PATHWAYS OF ALIEN SPECIES ...................................................................... 27 Current procedures regarding alien organisms at Finland’s borders ....................... 27 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND COMMITMENTS ....................................................... 29 International and other worldwide commitments ...................................................... 29 European regional strategies, conventions and cooperation ..................................... 30 EU actions to combat invasive alien species ................................................................ 31 FINNISH LEGISLATION AND ACTIONS .................................................................................. 34 Current

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