Prevent Invasive Species on Paddleboards and Fishing Gear

Visitors to the Lake District are unintentionally spreading invasive plants like New Zealand pigmyweed through paddleboards, fishing, and swimming gear. Even a tiny fragment of pigmyweed can cause its spread from one lake to another, posing significant biosecurity risks and threatening native species and the ecosystem. The invasive plants create dense mats that clog waterways and outcompete native flora and fauna, potentially causing a collapse in the food chain.
Izzie Mullin from the West Cumbria Rivers Trust highlighted the growing issue, exacerbated by climate change, which makes it easier for invasive species to establish themselves. Public awareness and funding for managing invasive species have been inadequate, with historical underfunding noted by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee.
Other invasive species like Himalayan balsam, grey squirrels, and signal crayfish also pose threats to native species and habitats. The article urges visitors to the Lake District to check, clean, and dry their equipment to prevent the spread of invasive species and participate in conservation efforts like reporting sightings and joining community events to remove invasive plants.