<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In recent years, programmes aimed at improving environmental conditions in river valleys within urban spaces have been initiated in many of the European Community countries. An example is the project “Revitalization of Urban River Spaces – REURIS” which was implemented in 2009-2012. Its main aim was to revitalize a part of the valley of the River Ślepiotka in Katowice. One of the tasks of the project was a comprehensive treatment to combat invasive plant species occurring in this area, carried out by using a combination of chemical and mechanical methods. Chemical treatment involved the application of herbicide mixtures, and mechanical treatment included, among others, mowing and/or removal of the undesirable plants. The work focused primarily on reducing the spread of two species of the <italic>Impatiens</italic> genus: <italic>I. glandulifera</italic> and <italic>I. parviflora,</italic> and the species <italic>Padus serotina</italic>, <italic>Reynoutria japonica</italic> and <italic>Solidago canadensis.</italic> Currently, the maintenance works on this section of the river are performed by the Urban Greenery Department in Katowice, which continues the elimination of invasive plants, according to the objectives of the REURIS program. In 2012 the Department of Botany and Nature Protection at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection started to monitor the implementation and the effects of the implemented actions for elimination and participated in the action of removal of selected invasive plant species: <italic>Impatiens parviflora</italic> and <italic>Reynoutria japonica</italic> within specific areas. These actions led to a reduction in the area occupied by invasive plants and a weakening of their growth rate and ability to reproduce.</p></abstract>

In recent years, programmes aimed at improving environmental conditions in river valleys within urban spaces have been initiated in many of the European Community countries. An example is the project “Revitalization of Urban River Spaces – REURIS” which was implemented in 2009-2012. Its main aim was to revitalize a part of the valley of the River Ślepiotka in Katowice. One of the tasks of the project was a comprehensive treatment to combat invasive plant species occurring in this area, carried out by using a combination of chemical and mechanical methods. Chemical treatment involved the application of herbicide mixtures, and mechanical treatment included, among others, mowing and/or removal of the undesirable plants. The work focused primarily on reducing the spread of two species of the Impatiens genus: I. glandulifera and I. parviflora, and the species Padus serotina, Reynoutria japonica and Solidago canadensis. Currently, the maintenance works on this section of the river are performed by the Urban Greenery Department in Katowice, which continues the elimination of invasive plants, according to the objectives of the REURIS program. In 2012 the Department of Botany and Nature Protection at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection started to monitor the implementation and the effects of the implemented actions for elimination and participated in the action of removal of selected invasive plant species: Impatiens parviflora and Reynoutria japonica within specific areas. These actions led to a reduction in the area occupied by invasive plants and a weakening of their growth rate and ability to reproduce.

Management of invasive plant species in the valley of the River Ślepiotka in Katowice – the example of the REURIS project

Department of Botany and Nature Protection, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellońska Str. 28, 40-032Katowice, Poland

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

In recent years, programmes aimed at improving environmental conditions in river valleys within urban spaces have been initiated in many of the European...

Management of invasive plant species in the valley of the River Ślepiotka in Katowice – the example of the REURIS project

Published Online: Jun 27, 2015

Page range: 26 - 37

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2015-0035

Keywords
revitalization, control treatments, alien plants, urban river

© University of Silesia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Management of invasive plant species in the valley of the River Ślepiotka in Katowice – the example of the REURIS project

Published Online: Jun 27, 2015

Page range: 26 - 37

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2015-0035

Keywordsrevitalization, control treatments, alien plants, urban river

© University of Silesia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
revitalization, control treatments, alien plants, urban river