Alien Species.vp - IUCN

Maj de Poorter
switch geographical scales: from supporting the local team to supporting the national team or
even the only remaining “African” or “European” (or whatever) team in the competition.
Another issue of scale, but not in a geographical or a time sense, is the choice of overall
context when looking at an invasive alien species issue. For instance, eradication by manual,
physical means may be balked at in some instances, due to considerations of fiscal cost. In other
instances, consideration may give more weight to environmental benefits as a balance to simple
“dollar” considerations, while in yet other circumstances the employment that would be created
may be thought to be such a social benefit that the financial implications become almost
irrelevant (see Noemdoe, this volume). Therefore, if a proposed and necessary mitigation or
other management scheme is met with “sorry, too expensive”, the first question asked may
usefully be: “are you truly looking at it in the full, fiscal, environmental and social context?”
The need for food, shelter and work
Food, shelter, and income are primal motivations that have to be met by humans to ensure
survival. They have been the cause of a vast number of deliberate introductions of alien species,
associated unintentional introductions, and many cases of aliens turned invasive. Yet they are
also very powerful forces that can be harnessed for positive change. For instance, ecotourism
provides livelihoods and at the same time provides an incentive for protecting endemic species
against bio-invasions. The “Working for Water” Programme (Noemdoe, this volume), is a
particularly poignant example of a fight against invasive aliens which is successful and well
supported because it has been emphasised (and widely understood) that it actually protects
livelihoods. This emphasis even finds expression in the name chosen for the programme;
another title, for example “let’s eradicate the alien trees” would have been unlikely to score the
same amount of high level ministerial and public support, simply because of the choice of
words.
The wish for freedom and/or power
Human desire for freedom and/or power nowadays extends to rather mundane matters which in
turn encourage continued intentional introductions, e.g., the wish to grow whatever you like in
your garden, have a variety of pets as an option, buy exotic foods (see Low, this volume, and
Reaser, this volume). It can also be a source of resistance if rules or changes are imposed from
above; it can create a distrust of authority, of “government” or of international bodies that are
trying to regulate certain types of activities.
On the other hand, the individual’s and community’s high appreciation of decision making
power means that “empowerment” is a potent potential force. Involving the local community
can result in formal or informal adoption of certain biodiversity-rich local areas which then are
patrolled and checked regularly, allowing for ongoing management of alien invasives;
consulting with (and listening to!) communities may well complicate management because
there will be the need to allow for diversification, but it will also result in increased chances of
continuous support (see Warren, this volume). For instance, in New Zealand, possum
eradication uses chemical methods in some areas, whereas mechanical removal (trapping,
shooting) has been used in others when it became clear that the local community was strongly
opposed to the use of chemical methods in an area of high unemployment.
The need to belong
In the past, immigrants have invariably brought animals and plants with them from their
“home”, not only for utilitarian purposes, but also to create a “new” home or “home away from
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