NATIV Pelion moves into the next phase of invasive alien species management.

Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd is pleased to announce that NATIV Pelion is moving forward into the next phase of its work in South East Pelion, Greece, progressing from mapping and documentation toward targeted management, control and, where feasible, elimination of invasive alien species.

NATIV Pelion was developed as a living marine registry for the coastal waters of South East Pelion, combining field observations, citizen reports and biodiversity records with action planning and measurable conservation objectives. The project places particular emphasis on protecting native species and sensitive marine habitats.

From recording species to taking action.

Understanding where an invasive alien species occurs is only the first stage of effective management.

The next phase of NATIV Pelion will increasingly connect mapping, monitoring and field observations with practical conservation action. Depending on the ecology, distribution and establishment of each species, management may include:

• rapid eradication of newly detected and highly localised populations;
• rapid suppression and continued monitoring where immediate eradication may not be achievable;
• containment and measures to slow further spread;
• long-term management of well-established populations; and
• continued monitoring where intervention is not currently appropriate.

This tiered approach is already incorporated into the NATIV Pelion framework. For species that have become widespread, complete disappearance is not necessarily a realistic objective. In these cases, the project focuses on reducing local pressure, protecting sensitive habitats and limiting further expansion into areas that remain comparatively unaffected.

A focus on South East Pelion.

NATIV Pelion is geographically focused on the marine and coastal environment of South East Pelion, where the meeting of rocky reefs, seagrass habitats, shallow coastal waters and diverse marine communities creates both significant biodiversity value and opportunities for early detection of ecological change.

The project brings together information originating from field surveys, iNaturalist records and citizen observations, creating a continually developing picture of alien species occurrence in the region.

The objective is not simply to produce a list of species. It is to understand where they occur, whether they are spreading, which habitats may be most exposed and where intervention can realistically make a difference.

Protecting native biodiversity.

The ultimate purpose of invasive alien species management is the protection of native ecosystems.

Species such as Sparisoma cretense, together with the wider native fish, invertebrate, algal and seagrass communities of the region, represent the biodiversity that NATIV Pelion seeks to safeguard. Their presence in project communications represents the native marine ecosystem being protected, not species targeted for removal.

Management decisions therefore need to remain selective and evidence-based. Removal should never simply mean removing unfamiliar organisms. Correct species identification, ecological context and an appropriate management objective must come first.

Measuring whether conservation actions work.

A conservation intervention is useful only if its results can be evaluated.

NATIV Pelion therefore incorporates measurable indicators including the number of alien species recorded, detection of new locations, changes in coverage or abundance, kilometres of coastline surveyed, response time between a report and an intervention, and the contribution of citizen observations.

These indicators will become increasingly important as the project transitions from documentation toward active management.

The next step.

This next phase represents an important development for NATIV Pelion.

The project is moving toward a model in which:

• Mapping identifies the problem.
• Monitoring shows how it changes.
• Targeted action responds where intervention is justified.
• Continued assessment determines whether that action worked.

The objective is not indiscriminate removal. It is targeted, scientifically informed management of invasive alien species while protecting native biodiversity and sensitive coastal habitats.

NATIV Pelion will continue to develop its species database, field monitoring, action records and management framework as new information becomes available.

Mapping. Monitoring. Action. Native biodiversity protection.