IAS institutional framework

IAS national strategy

A national strategy on invasive alien species in Luxembourg has been prepared by the Ministry for the Environment, for Climate and for Biodiversity. The strategy has been published in June 2024. The transposition of the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species into national law¹ has been adopted by the Luxembourg Parliament on 14th June 2018. The national law² was published on July 2nd 2018 (Mémorial 2018).

IAS Group Luxembourg

IAS Group Luxembourg (Groupe de coordination sur les espèces exotiques envahissantes au Luxembourg) was set up to support the development of national strategies for the prevention and management of invasive alien species. The group was set up in 2016 by the Department for the Environment of the Ministry for the Environment, for Climate and for Sustainable Development (MECDD). In 2023, the assignment was renewed. The group’s 12 members are researchers, government and local civil servants. The Ministerial Order formalising the Group was signed on 6th June 2023 (Anonymous 2016, Anonymous 2023).

IAS related activities & documents

Risk assessments & IAS lists

ISEIA Protocol

Several expert groups have assessed vascular plants (Ries et al. 2013), vertebrates (Ries et al. 2014) and invertebrates (Ries et al. 2017) after the Belgian ISEIA protocol (Branquart 2009) and established black lists, watch lists and alert lists.

Harmonia+ Protocol

A risk assessment after the Harmonia+ protocol (D’hondt et al. 2014) on the same taxonomic groups is under work in cooperation with the Belgian “Alien Alert project” coordinated by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform. The Luxembourg experts are using the same online assessment platform as their Belgian colleagues (http://ias.biodiversity.be/protocols/form). Neophytes have been assessed by Ries et al. 2020.

A comprehensive review of both protocols can be found in Vanderhoeven et al. 2015.

First records

A first record denotes the year of the first observation of an alien species in a region or the year of introduction for deliberately introduced – often horticultural – species. First records for neophytes have been published by Ries & Krippel 2021.

Pathway analysis

An analysis of the pathways of introduction and spread in Luxembourg was carried out in 2016 on the basis of interviews conducted with various stakeholders concerned by biological invasions. The report also outlines measures needed to try to meet the provisions of the EU Regulation 1143/2014 (Pfeiffenschneider 2016). An updated and complete report is under work.

Pathway Action plans

Action plans on 4 pathways have been finalised to date:

• Disposal of green waste (Pfeiffenschneider & Hoppe 2021a)
• Escape of ornamental plants and aquatic species (Pfeiffenschneider & Hoppe 2021b)
• Natural spread of existing populations (Pfeiffenschneider & Hoppe 2021c)
• Propagation through the use of contaminated soil, stones, crushed material or compost (Pfeiffenschneider & Hoppe 2021d)

Action / Management plans

Since 2018, national action plans concerning invasive alien species in Luxembourg are prepared on an ongoing basis by the Administration for Nature and Forests. The elaboration of these action plans is one of the measures defined within the framework of the national plan for nature conservation (Anonymous 2017).

The finalised Action Plans are available at the → portal for Environment emwelt.lu and under the respective species pages on neobiota.lu.

Surveys and species reporting

Reporting and early detection

A reporting link is provided for most of the species listed on neobiota.lu. It opens the corresponding reporting page on the data portal of the National Museum of Natural History. As soon as a listed invasive alien species is reported, an alert email is automatically sent to members of IAS Group Luxembourg, who dispatch the information to experts in charge of data validation. This procedure constitutes a crucial tool in early detection of IAS.

Species reporting can also be done by sending an e-mail to .

Citizen science, Apps

The Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History provides specific web pages enabling reporting of IAS in Luxembourg:

• Easily recognisable species: http://data.mnhn.lu/en/maach_mat#tid366
• Report single observation: http://data.mnhn.lu/en/enter-single-record

Regular reporters can open a user account and thus report observations without having to enter personal information.

Surveys, mapping

• Rivers: national surveys on several invasive alien plant species in 2007 (Glesener et al. 2009) and 2013 (Pfeiffenschneider et al. 2014b). The survey has been updated based on fieldwork from 2019.
• Railways: national surveys on several invasive alien plant species in 2013 (Pfeiffenschneider et al. 2014a).

Monitoring

Monitoring is done for specific species in the frame of specific projects, e.g.:

• Management of Heracleum mantegazzianum in the Upper Sûre nature park (Krippel & Richarz 2013).
• Management of Impatiens glandulifera in the basin of the river Blees in the Our nature park (Ehl et al 2023).

References

• Anonymous, 2016. Arrêté ministériel du 21 novembre 2016 portant création du groupe de coordination sur les espèces exotiques envahissantes au Luxembourg. Mémorial B 121: 1980 (28 novembre 2016). [PDF 20 KB]
• Anonymous, 2017. Plan National concernant la Protection de la Nature 2017-2021. Ministère du Développement durable et des Infrastructures, Département de l’Environnement. 111 p. [PDF 4.2 MB]
• Anonymous, 2023. Arrêté ministériel du 6 juin 2023 portant création du groupe de coordination sur les espèces exotiques envahissantes au Luxembourg. Mémorial B1859 (8 juin 2023).[PDF]  
• Branquart, E. (ed.), 2009. Guidelines for environmental impact assessment and list classification of non-native organisms in Belgium. Version 2.6. 4 pp. http://ias.biodiversity.be/documents/ISEIA_protocol.pdf
• D’hondt, B., S. Vanderhoeven, S. Roelandt, F. Mayer, V. Versteirt, E. Ducheyne, G. San Martin, J.-C. Grégoir, I. Stiers, S. Quoilin, E. Branquart, 2014. Harmonia+ and Pandora+: risk screening tools for potentially invasive organisms. Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Brussels, 63 pp. Available at http://ias.biodiversity.be/harmoniaplus.
• Ehl, S., A. Klein & C. Ries, 2023. It’ s a marathon, not a sprint: The management of Impatiens glandulifera at the upper reaches of the river Blees in the Naturpark Our (Luxembourg). Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 125: 25-36. [PDF 1,3 MB]
• Glesener, B., M. Pfeiffenschneider & C. Ries, 2009. Die Verbreitung von Impatiens glandulifera, Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, F. ×bohemica und Heracleum mantegazzianum entlang der Hauptfließgewässer Luxemburgs. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 110: 69-73. [PDF 470 KB]
• Krippel, Y. & F. Richarz, 2013. Verbreitung und Management von Heracleum mantegazzianum Somm. et Lev. (Apiaceae, Spermatophyta) in der Obersauerregion in Luxemburg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 114: 3-13. [PDF 3042 KB]
• Mémorial, 2018. Loi du 2 juillet 2018 concernant certaines modalités d’application et les sanctions du règlement (UE)n° 1143/2014 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 22 octobre 2014 relatif à la prévention et à lagestion de l’introduction et de la propagation des espèces exotiques envahissantes. Mémorial A (04/07/2018), 553: 1-4. [PDF]
• Ministère du Développement durable et des Infrastructures, Département de l’Environnement, 2017. Plan national concernant la protection de la nature 2017 – 2021, 111 pp. [PDF 4,2 MB]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M., 2016. Espèces exotiques envahissantes, Voies d’introduction et de propagation. Étude non publiée pour le Ministère du développement durable et des infrastructures, département de l’environnement, grand-duché de Luxembourg. Rapport, version 1.4. 54 pp. [PDF 4,36 MB]
• Pfeiffenschneider M., 2018. Espèces exotiques envahissantes – Voies d’introduction et de propagation. Rapport actualisé et complété, version 2.0. 76 pp.
• Pfeiffenschneider, M. & F. Hoppe 2021a. Plan d’action concernant les principales voies d’introduction et de propagation d’espèces exotiques envahissantes au grand-duché de Luxembourg. Élimination de déchets verts. Version 1.2 du 2021-01-22. EFOR-ERSA ingénieurs-conseils, Luxembourg. 16 pp. [PDF]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M. & F. Hoppe 2021b. Plan d’action concernant les principales voies d’introduction et de propagation d’espèces exotiques envahissantes au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. Évasion de plantes ornementales et d’espèces aquatiques. Version 1.2 du 2021-01-22. EFOR-ERSA ingénieurs-conseils, Luxembourg. 17 pp. [PDF]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M. & F. Hoppe 2021c. Plan d’action concernant les principales voies d’introduction et de propagation d’espèces exotiques envahissantes au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. Propagation naturelle de populations existantes. Version 1.2 du 2021-01-22. EFOR-ERSA ingénieurs-conseils, Luxembourg. 22 pp. [PDF]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M. & F. Hoppe 2021d. Plan d’action concernant les principales voies d’introduction et de propagation d’espèces exotiques envahissantes au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Propagation par l’utilisation de terre, de pierres, de concassé ou de compost contaminés. Version 1.2 du 2021-01-22. EFOR-ERSA ingénieurs-conseils, Luxembourg. 14 pp. [PDF]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M., P. Gräser & C. Ries, 2014a. Distribution of selected neophytes along the national railway network of Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 115: 95-100. [PDF 1457 KB]
• Pfeiffenschneider, M., P. Gräser & C. Ries, 2014b. Distribution of selected neophytes along the main rivers of Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 115: 101-108. [PDF 3668 KB]
• Ries, C. & Y. Krippel, 2021. First records of 56 invasive alien vascular plants in Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 123: 115-127. [PDF 241 KB]
• Ries, C., Y. Krippel, M. Pfeiffenschneider & S. Schneider, 2013. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of non-native vascular plant species in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 114: 15-21. [PDF 652 KB]
• Ries, C., Y. Krippel & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2020. Risk assessment after the Harmonia+ protocol of invasive alien vascular plant species in Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 122: 197-205. [PDF 132 KB]
• Ries, C., M. Pfeiffenschneider, Engel, E., J.-C. Heidt & M. Lauff, 2014. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of vertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 115: 195-201. [PDF 247 KB]
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]
• Vanderhoeven, S.; Adriaens, T.; D’hondt, B.; Van Gossum, H.; Vandegehuchte, M.; Verreycken, H.; Cigar, J.; Branquart, E. (2015). A science-based approach to tackle invasive alien species in Belgium – the role of the ISEIA protocol and the Harmonia information system as decision support tools. Manag. Biol. Inv. 6(2): 197–208. hdl.handle.net/10.3391/mbi.2015.6.2.10