The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI) is an exciting and ambitious 4-year partnership project set up to tackle invasive non-native species alongside rivers and water courses in northern Scotland. We are one of ten fishery trust/board* partners in SISI and are working to deliver the project across our catchments.
The SISI project area is vast, covering an area of 29,500km2 – over a third of Scotland (an area larger than the country of Wales!) and encompasses Perthshire, Angus, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland. View a map of the project area here.
Invasive non-native species (INNS) have a significant negative impact on freshwater and riparian environments – they can be responsible for the decline of native species and increase bank erosion. The aim of invasive species management is to halt and control the spread of invasive species, undertake habitat restoration and encourage the return of native wildlife.
The key target species for the SISI project are Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, American skunk cabbage, White butterbur and the American mink.
SISI works in partnership with the fishery trusts, to support, train and equip volunteers with the skills and equipment they need to enable control of invasive species at a local level, embedded in the community. The SISI project is funded until October 2021, when we hope that local community control of invasive species will continue – providing a sustainable long-term solution to control.
1. Invasive plant control project
With the help of volunteers, we are pulling out Himalayan balsam and treating Giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed with herbicide.
We need more volunteers to help, so please get in touch if you are interested!
2. American mink control project
We are building on previous control work by reinvigorating the programme of monitoring and trapping for removal of mink, with the help of a network of volunteers
We are looking for more volunteers to adopt mink rafts in our area, could this be you?
3. Creating a volunteer network
No experience necessary! We are investing time and support in building a network of enthusiastic volunteers, providing them with skills, training and qualifications (at no cost) such as pesticide application (PA1/PA6) and first aid
4. Raising awareness of invasive species
Through delivering education programmes for schools and community groups we can engage people in discovering the importance of the river environment and the impacts of invasive species.
5. Promoting biosecurity
A key part of controlling invasive species (and diseases) is preventing their spread into new areas, so we are all working to promote good biosecurity measures.
The SISI project is led by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, SNH and by in-kind support from the project partners and volunteers – the total value of the project is some £3.24 million. The project is delivered by both a team of SISI staff employed by the project and by our own fishery trust staff.
At the Esk Rivers & Fisheries Trust the invasive species management work is being led by the Project Officer Mark Purrmann-Charles.
If you are interested in volunteering with any aspect of the SISI project, have a look at the volunteering pages on the SISI website or get in touch directly with Mark on markeskrivers@gmail.com.
You can find out more about the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI), the target species, how to get involved and volunteer or keep in touch with progress on the project website and through social media via the links below:
Website: www.invasivespecies.scot
Facebook: Scottish Invasive Species Initiative
Twitter: @SISI_project
Instagram: scot_invasive_sps_initiative
*The ten fishery trusts/boards involved in the SISI project are; Tay District Salmon Fishery Board, Esk Rivers & Fisheries Trust, River Dee Trust, Deveron Bogie & Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Spey Fishery Board, Findhorn Nairn & Lossie Fisheries Trust, Ness & Beauly Fisheries Trust, Cromarty Fisheries Trust, Wester Ross Fisheries Trust and West Sutherland Fisheries Trust. In addition to these, The University of Aberdeen is an academic partner in the project.
The mink found in in Britain is an American species. It was an accidental addition to the British fauna in the 20th century, the result of animals escaping from fur farms in quite a few different regions.
