21/5/2002

Areas of Anglesey are under attack from the invasion of a tiny plant, and the Countryside Council for Wales is warning that if we don’t all act now then this weed may overwhelm some of the nationally important wildlife found on Anglesey.

The tiny water fern plant, a species that is usually found in North America, is a common plant in garden ponds. It is an attractive yellow green plant, that turns red in summer, is made up of overlapping oval leaves. But it seems that it has now jumped from being a garden plant to a weed that is threatening to smother some of Anglesey’s spectacular wildlife.

“The water fern is a threat to our wildlife as it can spread quickly - its oval leaves can break easily away and establish in new areas,” explains Sally Moralee, CCW’s Conservation Officer for Anglesey. “Already we have seen it smothering some of the native plants on our lakes and covering the feeding areas of many of our winter birds. It has been recorded on Valley Lakes, a site of Special Scientific Interest that is managed by the RSPB for the very rare bittern.

“We are now asking all gardeners to help us. We need to ensure that this weed doesn’t establish here. The simplest way of doing this is by making sure that no one put any plants and or waste that they clear from their gardens ponds into any lakes, ditches or rivers. This plant, although tiny in size, can spread at a rate of knots, and we need to put a stop to it!

“Plants such as the water fern can look wonderful in our gardens or in their countries of origin. But once plants and animals are introduced into the Welsh countryside they can do so much to harm our wonderful native wildlife,” added Sally Moralee.

Source:	Countryside Council for Wales
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