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The Environment Ministry stated last week that Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius’s initiative to plant invasive white-flowered robinias, mistakenly called acacias, in the capital could be punished with administrative sanctions.
Mayor R.Šimašius, introducing the capital’s afforestation campaign, said that despite the fact that white-flowered robinias are classified as invasive plants, Vilnius will not only not destroy such trees, but will allow them to spread by themselves, it will also plant them.
This is said to be a long-growing tree in Lithuania, and that it is “thanks to the bureaucrats of nature that it is on the list of plants to destroy, it is irreparable and unjustifiable,” the mayor said.
Laura Janulaitienė, chief specialist of the Nature Protection Policy Group of the Ministry of the Environment, reminded the mayor that “we live in a state that is governed by the rule of law, so we must comply with legal acts.”
The harm outweighs the benefit
Head of the Flora and Geobotany Laboratory, Institute of Botany, senior researcher dr. Valerijus Rašomavičius says that such a lack of communication between institutions does not completely decorate their communication.
“It is as if the mayor is Minister of Justice”, smiled V. Rasomavičius. “If there are laws, statutes created by professionals that rely on a certain knowledge of, in this case, nature, then they must be followed.”
Asked about the trees themselves, which have become the subject of this controversy, the scientist was also open: In Lithuania, and what can still be done, which we have not yet foreseen and evaluated, that danger outweighs the pleasure of the beauty “.
If there are laws, statutes created by professionals that are based on some knowledge of, in this case, nature, then they must be followed.
V.Rašomavičius mentioned the Curonian Spit, where white-flowered robins have a particularly high penetration into natural ecosystems.
Compared with Sosnovsky borscht
“Robinia is very common and multiplies on light soils. This is such a favorable time on the Curonian Spit. And another thing, it responds very well to fires, then there are opportunities to spread in the incinerators. This is already an obvious fact.
And so that we cannot appreciate what could happen, I would suggest following that example. Once upon a time, Sosnovsky’s borscht was brought and cultivated, and in the 1970s, his grandmothers sold it at the Calvary Market, said a very beautiful plant, planted in a bundle, where separately.
Could we then say that they were speaking incorrectly? Although even then there were indications that it is spreading and is detrimental even to human health, “said the scientist.
Photo by Saulius Žiūra / Sosnovskis borscht
He says that even now it is said that the robinia plantation will control its cultivation, but the potential for this plant to spread further and cause damage to the natural environment, ecosystems and natural habitats is underestimated.
These trees are propagated by both seeds and seedlings. It is the seedlings that begin to spread rapidly when the plant itself is damaged, then it begins to multiply more intensively with the seedlings.
Once upon a time, Sosnovsky’s borscht was brought in and grown, and his grandmothers sold it at Calvary Market in the 1970s, said a very beautiful plant.
30 destruction projects in Europe
“It just came to our knowledge then. Currently we have such a project” Inventory of invasive and alien species in Lithuania “, we can say from the preliminary results that if we divide Lithuania into such 10 km squares, we will definitely find the focus of this robinia of white flowers in each one of them.
Our colleagues have investigated the intensity with which it reproduces, and we can certainly confirm the fact that robinias are an invasive plant on the European continent. This is appreciated and understood.
There are more than 30 projects throughout Europe to eradicate this plant from our environment. If such works are financed, looking for other evidence is useless work ”, assured V.Rašomavičius.
Photo by Wikimedia Commons / Rabbit Seeds
Threat to the natural ecosystem
When asked to tell about the damage of robinias, the scientist says that by always evaluating the threat of invasive species to a natural ecosystem, it is observed how those plants change the composition, structure and function of the natural environment.
“It just came to our knowledge then. Robinia is lush, forms a shade and just competes with native plants. Especially if it appears first. Robinia grows strongly in the shade, in the forest, say, but if it is the first outdoors. , will create a completely unusual ecosystem in our country.
We do not have natural stands or shrubs in which this species would be composed ”, said the scientist.
Imagine such a business sitting on a natural lawn full of beautiful flowering plants. And then this plant is planted and with it come the nettles, delicious.
Robinia belongs to the bean family and forms symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Imagine that a company like this settles on a natural lawn, which, I speak quite popularly, is rich in plants with beautiful flowers, a great variety of them, open areas. And then this plant is planted and together come the nitrophilic plants: nettle, tasty. We get what we don’t expect, “said V.Rašomavičius.
Judge by location
However, the scientist said that he would not be able to advise Vilnius city leaders or municipal representatives on what and where to plant in the capital. This is supposed to be done by landscaping professionals.
“The urban environment is specific. I would put it this way: what will happen next? How will it be cared for, what will be given to that plant. If you plant it in any box, it must be a single plant to be constantly watered, maintained, fertilized. If planted in natural soil where there is plenty of room for it to grow, it could be other plants.
What I would appreciate is that the trees that have sprouted in the hedges have started to leave, the maples usually grow.
It seems to me that evaluating how the planter will continue to monitor the plant to grow naturally and will lead to suggestions on what to plant. I have only noticed, although I am not a specialist, here the specificities of the science of dendrology that for me as a naturalist, the natural environment is the best self-regulating environment where man does not intervene.
What I would be grateful for, and I noticed as I was driving around town, was that the trees that had sprouted in the hedges had started to be left, the maples generally grew. They were shaved all the time to make it smooth. And now they started to leave – here I could really praise the plant managers who finally saw that those who grow and establish themselves naturally will be the strongest and most useful, “said V. Rašomavičius.
Introducing the Green Wave, R. Šimašius emphasized that indigenous trees in Vilnius will be protected, if possible, where they have germinated.
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