Delivering effective management for invasive alien species

Invasive alien species are a major threat to global biodiversity; however, harms can be mitigated through effective management. Detailed information on the effects of and implementation methods for management actions is often poorly reported, making effective, evidence-informed management challenging. We will co-design a platform allowing dynamic evidence collation on Invasive Alien Species (IAS) management actions to guide practitioners and policymakers.

Project Aims

The ultimate aim of this project is to create a prototype of the first comprehensive and centralised repository for compiling and sharing evidence on the effectiveness of IAS management actions, to support practitioners and policymakers. To achieve this, we are focused on delivering:

1. A co-designed framework for reporting and collating new and existing evidence on IAS management. Identifying key, quantitative and qualitative standardised variables relevant to assessing the effectiveness of management actions.
2. A prototype platform for reporting and reviewing results of IAS management actions and present intuitive methods for visualising and interacting with the information within the database.

Key Activities

• Identify and collate information on IAS management held across CCI partners and their extensive networks.
• Identify key stakeholders by engaging with a diverse group of individuals from organisations inside and outside of CCI with practical expertise in IAS management.
• Hold a stakeholder workshop to co-design a data collection and reporting framework.
• Co-design a prototype platform, based on the framework, to enable users to explore/visualise, as well as report, standardised data on IAS management interventions.
• Hold a workshop to allow potential users to try the prototype tool and give feedback.
• Publish the data integration and collection framework and tool.

Conservation Impact

We hope that establishing this framework and tool will help to establish routine reporting of IAS management efforts and encourage the implementation of evidence-based decision-making in invasive species management. Target 6 of the CBD is focused on reducing the spread of IAS by 50%. To meet the CBD targets, guidance and evidence of effectiveness for IAS management is essential. This work will clearly signal the current evidence base for optimising IAS management, greatly reducing the risk of failed interventions.

Outputs

• A co-designed framework for reporting IAS management interventions.
• A comprehensive centralised repository for compiling and sharing evidence on IAS management interventions.
• A co-designed prototype platform for interacting with the centralised repository.
• Establishing a network of practitioners and policy makers working on the management of IAS.