Species and Alien Species
ASG 2019-2020
Due to the recent focus on invasive alien species, plants are now at the centre of a new public debate. In line with this development, the first Swedish list of invasive alien species was published this year.
ASG Species and Alien Species aims to put the list of invasive alien species in a societal context. The objective is to discuss invasiveness as a phenomenon and investigate how, why, and by whom, plants are defined as invasive. This includes examining how public institutions and different experts perceive exotic and indigenous plants in private gardens, public gardens and in “nature”. The vision of the ASG is to develop a framework based on a set of interdisciplinary-based aspects to provide a scientifically sound basis for decisions and measures on the use of decorative plants and wild plants, with Sweden as a case study. It is important that a project about invasive alien species combines knowledge from several different disciplines, as what is perceived as and considered alien or not depends on temporal, geographical and social factors.