| Re: Is It Native?
The question of which species are native or not native is a complicated one and some species we may not and may never know for sure - and is also really facinating. I read an article recently where it was suggested that non native species could be considered for planting schemes. Really? Another interesting question! (Don't think the idea would catch on though)
There is a difference between non native species and invasive non native species and whatever the arguments about the former, in plant terms where a species is invasive and creates a monoculture and continually extends its range, replacing whole systems then this must be taken seriously.
As to the benefits of Japanese knotweed, having spent days in deep dense stands of the stuff and seeing next to no evidence of any species diversity plant, animal or invertebrate, to say that stands provide shelter in winter and to extrapolate that and say we should cease control is slightly... surprising. A reed bed does the same thing without the expense of a habitat, usable land and the possibility of damage to property and infrastructure.
I don't know if we are right to favour native species or not but we do need to protect them from damage from those that are able to destroy, infect or just replace them.  |