Biosecurity Preventing the Introduction of Invasive Species to Site

Following pre-construction meetings with Inland Fisheries Ireland and National Parks & Wildlife Service, Roadbridge decided to produce a site Biosecurity Plan to help prevent the unintentional introduction of aggressive aquatic and terrestrial invasive species to the site.

Roadbridge sought advice from INVAS Biosecurity, a specialist consultancy with an expertise in the control & eradication of non-native invasives. INVAS advised that a strict protocol be put in place for checking, cleaning and drying all plant equipment, hand tools, footwear and clothing after being in aquatic areas. INVAS was also invited to site to deliver training to all site personnel.

The Roadbridge Environmental Manager has devised a Biosecurity Declaration Form that is distributed via email to Roadbridge sites across Ireland & UK that plan to send plant machinery to the Center Parcs site. The form instructs that each item of plant is to be hot power washed to remove all traces of mud debris etc. The completed form must be returned to the Roadbridge Environmental Manager prior to the plant item being delivered to site.

This form and a copy of the Biosecurity plan is also sent to all subcontractors that intend to bring machinery to this site. Upon arrival to site the plant item is inspected at a designated quarantine area. This inspection ensures that the delivered plant item has been thoroughly cleaned. Should the item of plant be deemed to be inadequately cleaned it will be refused entry.

Such robust biosecurity measures help to avoid leaving both a degraded environment and an immense financial bill for impact and control of introduced invasive species.