Somerset Wildlife Trust has launched a public appeal to raise £20,000 to help control the increasing spread of non-native invasive plant species across Somerset through the Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest match-funding initiative. 

These species, which include Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed, are one of the top five drivers of global biodiversity loss and play a role in 60% of all plant and animal extinctions.¹ In Somerset alone, the presence of invasive plants has increased by 260% in the last 30 years, accelerated by the UK’s changing climate and the wetter, warmer conditions that allow many invasive plant species to spread faster and more effectively. 

The Trust explains that non-native invasive plants have been introduced to the UK through human activities and now regularly outcompete native species, disrupting natural ecosystems. By producing large numbers of often microscopic seeds, they are transferred by equipment, vehicles, clothing, or in the movement of soil and water. They then spread rapidly, taking up the space, light, and resources native plants need to survive — which also has a knock-on effect for the UK's native mammals, insects, and other wildlife.

From midday on Tuesday 3rd December until Tuesday 10th December, Somerset Wildlife Trust will be raising funds to support the management of non-native invasive plants on its nature reserves. During this period, any online donations to the appeal will be doubled, thanks to generous match funding from supporters including the Reed Foundation, which has already pledged to support the cause. 

The charity will be asking for public donations to help it reach its fundraising target of £20,000, which will be used to tackle the problem of non-native invasive plants on its 66 nature reserves. Invasive species were recently identified as one of the top threats to nature reserves in the UK², and Somerset Wildlife Trust dedicates a vast amount of time and money every year into managing the spread of these species. This includes: 

• Himalayan balsam: one of the most common invasive plants that spreads quickly along rivers and waterways and is notoriously difficult to remove, this plant needs to be managed carefully on nature reserves across Somerset.
• Parrots feather on Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve: an aquatic plant that is highly invasive and is capable of ‘choking’ water bodies and outcompeting native vegetation.
• American skunk-cabbage on Holford Kelting Nature Reserve: an invasive species found in wet woodland and along waterways, this plant has huge leaves that spread widely, blocking light from other species.
• Japanese knotweed at Harridge Wood Nature Reserve: a fast-growing perennial with tall, dense stems that will often re-emerge even after it has been removed by hand and typically requires specialist contactors and tools to fully eradicate.

Rachael Fickweiler, Head of Nature Reserves and Land Management at Somerset Wildlife Trust, explains: 

“Over 2,000 non-native plant and animal species have been introduced to the UK over the years, and while many of these have integrated with our habitats without damaging them, certain species thrive in our climate and can start to dominate our natural spaces. Due to how quickly these invasive species spread, they threaten the survival of native plants and animals, damage our natural ecosystems, and are estimated to cost the economy nearly £2 billion a year.³ 

“It is vital that we control the spread of non-native invasive plants on our reserves in order to give precious and often vulnerable native species the space they need to survive. Every year, our Reserves Team dedicates a significant amount of time and resources in an already intensive seasonal habitat management programme to reduce the prolific spread of species including Himalayan balsam, parrots feather, American skunk-cabbage, and Japanese knotweed. However, this is taking up more and more time every year as warmer and wetter conditions, brought about by climate change, further allow these species to flourish. We need specialist contractors, skills, and equipment to support our team and properly address the spread of these species and help maintain the delicate ecosystems we have worked so hard to maintain — and that means asking for the public’s support to help us raise the vital funds we need to carry out this complex but absolutely critical work. That's why we’re asking for your help — please consider donating to our appeal today to help us protect Somerset’s native plants.” 

You can support Somerset Wildlife Trust’s appeal and help the charity reach its fundraising target by visiting the Christmas Challenge Project, Keeping Precious Habitats Healthy and Wild, and if you donate between Tuesday 3rd December and Tuesday 10th December, every pound you donate will be matched at no extra cost to you.

¹ Around 10-15% of non-native species are invasive, and these species can have a devastating impact on the environment and wildlife (source: gov.uk). 

² Invasive species were identified as one of the key threats to nature reserves from climate change and other issues, according to The Wildlife Trust’s Embracing Nature: Climate Change Adaptation at The Wildlife Trusts (2023-2024) report. They ranked as an even higher ‘future perceived’ threat. 

³ Invasive species cost the UK economy nearly £2 billion a year. These costs include damage to buildings and infrastructure, interference with the production of food and materials, losses to other activities such as tourism and navigation, and high management costs for established invasive species. Japanese knotweed alone is estimated to cost the UK economy around £250 million a year (source: gov.uk).