Local Action Group Toolkit

Welcome to the Local Action Group Toolkit pages! This part of the website aims to assist non-native species action on the ground at local, county and regional levels. Here, you can find information, guidance and practical advice to help existing groups or forums to tackle non-native species and to help set up new initiatives.

Online forum

Share knowledge and ideas with other Local Action Groups in the online LAG forum. Visit www.bigtent.com/groups/gblag for more information and to sign up!

Pocket guide to Balsam Bashing

A useful book for anyone looking to get involved in non-native species volunteering. Contains information on key non-native species and what can be done to help prevent their spread. Find out more here http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=152&categoryId

Non-native species information

General information on non-native species, and useful resources to help with identification and recording

Alert species - find out which species are currently on our alert list, and where to report sightings
Non-native Species Information Portal - information on over 300 species
ID sheets - information, descriptions and images to help with identification of over 60 different species
Recording - advice on recording non-native species, and links to recommended websites and smartphone apps
Photos - downloadable photo gallery of non-native species
Videos - videos of expert commentary on four invasive non-native species
Sounds - vocal calls of some non-native species

Project planning

Guidance and resources that may be useful when planning a non-native species project

Projects database - register your project on our database and find other projects
Project planning - how to plan a project
Local strategic plan - information on prioritisation, surveys, and management options
Funding - links to potential funding bodies and opportunities
Useful links - links to other useful websites
Risk assessments - access to completed non-native species risk assesments

Awareness raising and communication

Links to existing awareness raising campaigns, key facts and statistics about non-native species, and guidance on communicating with stakeholders and the public

Public awareness campaigns - Be Plant Wise & Check Clean Dry
Awareness Raising - Guidance for key messages and language to use in communications as well as press releases.
FAQs - on Non-native species.
Statistics and facts - on non-native species
Leaflets, Posters and Presentations - Editable documents for local action groups to personalise.
What are non-native species - including definitions and how do they affect me?
Impact examples - Case studies of some of the impacts of non-native species.

Guidance and advice

Information on management, biosecurity and legislation

Invasive Species Action Plans
Surveying for non-native species
General guidance - on non-native species including Japanese Knotweed and aquatic plants.
Control methods - How to control aquatic non-native species.
Disposal of plant waste - How to dispose of plant waste material.
Biosecurity - How to avoid the spread of disease, parasites and pests including several links to useful documents including safety data sheets.
Legislation - Non-native Species are covered by several pieces of legislation which can be accesed here.
Health and safety advice - Links to sources of health and safety advise.

We are very keen to make these pages as up-to-date and as useful as possible, so please contact us to suggest improvements or to add to the information.

Defra review of Local Action Group achievement

Over the last four years Defra has funded 29 Local Action Groups across England to tackle invasive non-native species in and around watercourses to reduce impacts on local communities, protect native biodiversity and reduce the cost to our economy. A recently commissioned report summarises overall achievements of the funding, highlights successes and blockages to progress and makes recommendations as to what is required to achieve long term sustainability of these Groups.

Defra is publishing the report so that Local Action Groups have an objective evidence base to demonstrate how they can provide local, cost effective solutions to the management of harmful non-native species in the future.

Download the report here.

GB non-native species secretariat

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