Invasive species are known to be harmful to biodiversity and some to human health, but did you know that invasive species also destroy cultural heritage?
This was one of the topics at the 7th Congress of UNESCO Unitwin, which took place this year on 16 and 17 May in Portorož. As part of the NATURALLY project, Dr. Barbara Sladonja gave a lecture on the risks that invasive species pose to valuable cultural heritage.
An example is the species, Tree of Heaven, which has been observed in large populations at several valuable cultural sites in Istria. Its impact on archaeological sites is mainly mechanical in the form of destruction of the building by strong roots. Furthermore, it produces secondary metabolites that cause chemical contamination of the soil. Tree of Heaven is a very adaptable species and spreads quickly and its seeds can spread and establish a population at high altitudes and in unusual places.
Read more about invasive species at the web pages of the Invasive Species Centre.
