Against the Flow Survey 2009

 

In association with:

What are Invasive Pond Plants?

Invasive Pond Plants are non-native species, originally used in garden ponds and water features. However, they are often introduced unwittingly into the wild by gardeners, anglers and pond-keepers. An invasion can start from a fragment of plant this small:

Invasive pond plants are still sold in garden centres, pet shops, aquarists, DIY stores and supermarkets.

Why are they such a problem?

When invasive plants get into the wild they can cause major problems. They spread quickly, taking over rivers and ponds and choking wildflowers and native wildlife. Several sites where the rare and endangered plant Three-lobed Crowfoot Ranunculus tripartitus grows have been swamped. Even Great Crested Newts – one of our most highly protected creatures – can suffer when invasive pond plants take over, reducing the open space males need in order to display to females and causing water temperatures to drop due to shading.

Why we need your help

Control and eradication of invasive plants is difficult and expensive. We need your help to tell us where these problem plants are. We can then use this information to help prioritise action.

TEACHERS CLICK HERE

Please use the online form below to tell us about any invasive plants that you find on sale, in the countryside or even in your own pond or aquarium. Click on the images below to help you identify some of the worst invaders. Further help with identification can be found here.

You can also download and print out a special survey form and identification guide to take out into the field here.

To find out more about invasive plants - including how to remove them from your land - click here.

I've seen: (tick as many as appropriate)

 

Please click on an image below for more detail on each plant.
©Tim Pankhurst/Plantlife	Parrot's Feather Myriophyllum aquaticum
©www.ukwildflowers.com	New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii
©Alain Dutartre, Cemagref	Creeping Water-primrose Ludwigia peploides
©Tim Pankhurst/Plantlife	Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
©Dominic Price/Plantlife	Water Fern Azolla filiculoides
©Su Cooper/Plantlife	Other (please provide full Latin or common name):

Choose one:

On sale At: Name and address of retail outlet

In the wild At: Name or type of waterbody and location (e.g. Merley Pond, Wimborne) 6 figure Grid Reference or postcode Info Look up Grid reference

In my pond/aquarium At: Your postcode

 
 

Other details (optional) - for example, if there is a dense carpet of the plant, or just one or two plants, information on the affected area or the habitats adjacent to it:
Date seen:	Month January February March April May June July August September October November December  Year 2008 2009

Your Details:
Your name:
How can we best contact you if we need more information about your record (phone number, email or postal address):
How did you hear about the survey (e.g. name of magazine):
Data protection act: We will not pass your contact details to others. If you would like to receive more information about Plantlife’s work, please tick here.

Biological Data provided to Plantlife may be used for a variety of conservation purposes.

With grateful thanks to The John Ellerman foundation and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.