INSPIRE – Invasive Species: Information, Restoration and Engagement

Invasive alien species are acknowledged as a worldwide threat to biodiversity and the problems are estimated to increase due to climate changes, international trading and traveling habits.

The Interreg Aurora funded project INSPIRE will focus on three main objectives that will create better prerequisites for the eradication efforts in both Finland and Sweden.

1. Get the gardening sector involved in the fight against invasive species. Many invasive species have started out as garden plants and to many gardeners are not yet aware of the problem of invasive species. By educating both garden markets and associations we can activate a crucial part of the population and reduce the risks of invasive species being let out into our nature. One of our planned pilot actions will be to launch a digital service for finding alternatives to popular invasive garden plants.

2. Create strategies combining IAS removal and nature type restoration measures for authorities and municipalities. By having cost-effective restoration strategies for areas suffering from invasive species we will lower the threshold for IAS managers to take action.

3. Increase the engagement among the public. Therefore, another of our planned pilot actions will be to launch a meeting platform to gather different landowners (private landowners and municipalities) and labor (private people and groups, associations, municipalities, and entrepreneurs).

The invasive species do not care about national borders, therefor a coordinated effort is required. The projects long-term goal is to stop the spreading of invasive species and increase the eradication efforts withing the Interreg Aurora programme area.

INSPIRE-project contributes to following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)