What are invasive species?

• An invasive species can be any kind of living organism—an amphibian, plant, insect, fish, fungus, or bacteria—that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm.
• Not all non-native species are invasive. For example, most of the food crops grown in India, including onion, potato and tomatoes are not native to the region.
• To be invasive,
  • a species must adapt to the new area easily
  • it must reproduce quickly
  • it must harm the economy, or the native plants and animals of the region
• Some of the most serious invasive species in India are Alternanthera philoxeroides, Cassia uniflora, Chromolaena odorata, Eichhornia crassipes, Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus and Prosopis juliflora, etc.

Why in news?

• An action plan to remove invasive species from the Nilgiris, was discussed during a recent meeting as part of the ‘Green Tamil Nadu Mission’ in Udhagamandalam.
• The main focus was on steps that can be undertaken by various government departments in order to effectively remove from the landscape, invasive species like wattle, Lantana camara, Cestrum aurantiacum, scotch broom and gorse, as well as exotic species like pine and eucalyptus.
• Due to the invasive species’ capabilities to spread rapidly, they have a propensity to take over native landscapes and reduce biodiversity.

What steps are being taken to save Nilgiris from Invasive species?

• Over the last few decades, most of the Nilgiris has become overrun with invasive species, which limit the food availability for local wildlife.
• The officials directed government departments where tree-planting is being undertaken, to ensure that the species being planted are native Shola species, and not exotics.
• The planted trees are also to be geo-tagged to ensure that they are not removed without requisite permissions, and officials were instructed to ensure that they were maintained post-planting.
• Nurseries were also told to take steps to grow more native species that can be planted in areas where exotic and invasive flora has been removed.
• Efforts should also be undertaken to plant the trees on not just government lands, but also in private spaces.

About Green Tamil Nadu Mission

• The Green Tamil Nadu Mission aims to increase the state’s tree and forest cover from 23.69% to 33% in next 10 years.
• The focus of this special drive will be to plant indigenous plant species.
• About 2.80 crore saplings have been raised for the purpose and details of all planting locations are collected along with geo-tagged data to monitor sapling planting and survival rate.

References:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/action-plan-to-remove-invasive-species-from-nilgiris-collector-appeals-to-residents-to-help/article66052816.ece
2. https://www.greentnmission.com/
3. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/cm-mk-stalin-launches-green-tn-mission-urges-people-to-join-hands-122092400642_1.html