The new app and website for reporting sightings, surveys and management of invasive non-native species (INNS) in England, Wales and Scotland has launched.
INNS Mapper – which will also be known as Mapiwr INNS in Wales with Welsh language options – is free to use and aims to provide an effective resource to support INNS programmes and coordinate efforts.
Data reported to INNS Mapper is open access and publicly available for anyone to use.
Invasive non-native species (INNS) are species that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced by people and cause negative impacts. The negative impacts are far reaching for the environment, economy and society.
It is important to prevent the spread of INNS, understand the locations where INNS are found and appropriately manage populations in our environment.
There are 62 INNS that can be reported via INNS Mapper, including freshwater and terrestrial plants, freshwater invertebrates and mammals. The species included have all previously been reported in GB and are either widespread and under management, widespread where management efforts are less widespread or species present in GB with high impact but difficult to manage.
Everyone is encouraged to get involved with using INNS Mapper to report sightings of INNS.
For those also going out to survey and manage INNS, such as Local Action Groups (LAGs) volunteer groups and practitioners, INNS Mapper is the tool to report and share survey and management information, which will help coordinate effective INNS management.
INNS Mapper also has a verify function, where the identification of photos provided in sighting records can be verified by users of INNS Mapper. Additional information on the INNS and ID guides are also available.
INNS Mapper was developed and funded by multiple organisations, please visit the app or the website for more information.
INNS Mapper aims to help in tackling INNS in the environment. You can download the INNS Mapper app today from your phone’s app store and visit the INNS Mapper website at www.innsmapper.org.