Have you always wanted to know what \u201cnon-native trees\u201d are, what their risks and benefits are and how they relate to the forests and urban green space? Then you\u2019ve come to the right place. The team of the ALPTREES project, which is co-financed by the European Union via the Interreg Alpine Space Programme, produced a free online course to give everyone the opportunity to deepen his or her knowledge about the sustainable use and management of non-native trees in the Alpine Space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-native trees, also known as \u201cnon-indigenous\u201d, \u201calien\u201d, \u201cintroduced\u201d, \u201callochthonous\u201d or \u201cexotic\u201d trees, are tree species, breeds or hybrids in the Alpine Space region whose presence there is the result of human activity by way of intentional or accidental introduction. By contrast, native trees are tree species of natural, post-glacial forest development in the Alpine Space region. The introduction of non-native trees in the Alpine Space has started in the 19th century \u2013 mainly for ornamental purposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some old-grown individuals are still alive today in the botanical gardens. Almost a hundred years ago the interest in non-native trees for use in forests has started to grow due to the resistance to pests, droughts, and fast growth. But the introduction of non-native trees did not inherit only benefits. Few non-native tree species escaped from plantations into natural ecosystems, where they spread rapidly and outcompete native species, change the species composition and cause irreversible harm to biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n