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<p>Partnership working is vital to deliver long-term management of invasive non-native
species (INNS). The Great Britain INNS Strategy aims to guide a strong partnership
approach with non-Governmental organisations, businesses, Government and the general
public working together to improve biosecurity and reduce the risk from INNS.</p><p>
</p><p>Defra funded 29 Non-native Species Local Action Groups (LAGs) between 2011
and 2015 to support their start-up and give them time to become self-sustaining. Defra
continues to provide advice to the LAGs and hosts an annual workshop for LAGs to meet
and share progress. Non-native Species LAG coordinators and volunteers work with land
owners to control INNS in catchment areas to reduce the risk of reinvasion. LAGs provide
a key resource to help manage many species and raise awareness and they have mobilised
a large number of volunteers in the fight against INNS. Other stakeholders also play
a key role, such as Angling Trust members undertaking clearance of Himalayan balsam
on river banks and trapping signal crayfish in their ponds. British Canoeing participates
in our strategic approach to floating pennywort control and its members are engaged
in organised control work alongside the Environment Agency and the Canal and River
Trust.</p><p> </p><p>We will examine the Environmental Audit Committee’s recommendation,
and in particular the New Zealand model that it promotes for the mobilisation of large
numbers of people. Citizen science is a vital addition to Government surveillance,
providing more eyes on the ground and shared responsibility, which improves our overall
biosecurity culture. We are assessing the options to facilitate the expansion of current
local action into a ‘biosecurity citizens’ army’.</p><p> </p>
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