Protecting Local Biodiversity With the Removal of Invasive Alien Species



Jumbay tree (Leucaena leucocephala), which is on the list of 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has been sighted at Tpark. Invasive alien species are a serious threat to local biodiversity. Jumbay tree is native in Central and South America. It was introduced to Taiwan as a material for paper pulp. However, this is a fast-growing allelopathic plant with high excludability. It releases mimosine, which suppresses the growth of other plant species, thus threatening the indigenous plants of Taiwan and the natural environment. To minimize its negative impact, FERD removed approximately 0.28 hectares of Jumbay trees within Tpark, and will continue to monitor, maintain and care for the ecological balance within Tpark to safeguard local biodiversity.