ESENIAS participated in the Workshop: Enhancing advisory and participatory process in control, monitoring and management of IAS in Turkey, which was held online on 10–11 February 2021.

The workshop was organised within the project: Addressing of Invasive Alien Species threats in terrestrial areas and inland waters in Turkey, EuropeAid/ 139606/ IH/ SER/TR (2019–2022), co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey and coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey. The overall aim of the project is to get invasive alien species (IAS) under control in terrestrial areas and inland waters in Turkey, in line with the EU Regulation 1143/2014. The project is divided into four components:

1. The establishment of an effective national policy framework
2. The management and elimination of six target IAS in pilot areas: Bur cucumber (Sicyos angulatus), red-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), coypu (Myocastor coypus), Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio), and mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki).
3. The establishment of capacity-building and information sharing systems
4. Raising public awareness.

During the first day of the workshop Prof. Ahmet Uludag from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, ESENIAS Scientific Secretary, and co-authors presented about ESENIAS network and its activities towards harmonisation of policies in the regional level: Communicating, collaborating, and sharing. On the second day, case studies from the ESENIAS region and other European countries were presented. Vladimir Vladimirov and Teodora Trichkova from IBER-BAS talked about the Bulgarian experience and challenges in control and management of IAS. Ms. Zrinka Domazetović from the Croatian Ministry of Environment and Energy talked about the cooperation of stakeholders and governmental agencies for implementation of EU Regulation 1143/2014 on IAS in Croatia. Dr. Piero Genovesi, head of the Wildlife Service at the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, presented extended information about the implementation of policies for prevention and management of IAS in Italy. Dr. Sonia Vanderhoeven from the Belgian Biodiversity Platform talked about mobilising data, knowledge and stakeholders in support of IAS decision making in Belgium. Mr. Petri Ahlrothfrom the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) talked about involvement of different stakeholders in development and implementation of Finland’s Strategy on IAS.

All presentations and materials from the workshop are available at the project website.

For further information please see:

Workshop agenda: >>>

Workshop and project materials:  >>>

Project website:  >>>

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