Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
a
Global Strategy on Invasive Alien Species
(McNeely
et al
. 2001), and the initial
development of the
Global Invasive Species Database
(see section 8.11.4).
Natural Resources (IUCN)
IUCN (
http://www.IUCN.org)
was founded in 1948. It brings together 83
States, 110 government agencies, more than 800 non-governmental organiza-
tions (NGOs), and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a
unique worldwide partnership. Its mission is to infl uence, encourage, and assist
societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and
to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
IUCN has been involved with the issue of IAS for many years and is one of the
founding partners of GISP. IUCN Regional Programmes address IAS Eastern and
Southern Africa, Asia, and in Meso and South America, while IUCN at a global
level integrates IAS into all parts of its programmes and themes (including Marine,
Protected Areas, Ecosystem Management, Forests, Wetlands, Biodiversity Policy)
and the Environmental Law Centre. The IUCN
Guidelines for the Prevention of
Biodiversity Loss caused by Alien Invasive species
were adopted by IUCN Council in
February 2000 and are available in English, French, and Spanish (IUCN 2000).
The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of the IUCN Species Survival
Commission (
http://www.issg.org/)
is a network of over 170 expert volunteers
from more than 40 countries who are knowledgeable about invasive species prob-
lems. The mission of ISSG is 'to reduce threats to natural ecosystems and the native
species they contain, by increasing awareness of alien invasions and of ways to pre-
vent, control or eradicate them'. The ISSG's role is global and includes providing
technical and policy advice to IUCN, to IUCN members, and, more generally,
to organizations and individuals requiring advice in their fi ght against biological
invasions. In addition, ISSG produces technical publications, publishes the
Aliens
newsletter, and manages the Aliens-L Listserver and the Global Invasive Species
Database (section 8.11.4).
Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN)
The GISD
is managed by ISSG and is a free, online public resource of authorita-
tive information about IAS (
http://www.issg.org/database/).
The GISD aims to
increase public awareness about IAS and to facilitate effective prevention and man-
agement activities by disseminating specialists' knowledge and experience globally
to a broad audience. It focuses on those IAS that threaten biodiversity and covers
all taxonomic groups from micro-organisms to animals and plants. GISD profi les
include information about the negative impacts of invasive species, causes and
vectors of introduction and spread, prevention strategies, lessons learned during
