Published
Video length: 3 min
Environment: invasive plants in the canals of northern France
Milfoil, a plant from North America, arrived in France in 2011. Since then, it has colonized the canals in the north of the country, making river activities impossible.
(France 2)
Milfoil, a plant from North America, arrived in France in 2011. Since then, it has colonized the canals in the north of the country, making river activities impossible.
In the Aisne, a man is forced to clean the body of water and pull out aquatic plants before starting his fishing trip. An invasive species, which forms masses of green vines, has been proliferating in the canal for seven years and is worrying fishermen. “If it stays like this, everything will be lost”assures Sylvain Accart, president of the “Team Sensas” club in Saint-Quentin. Native to North America, the watermilfoil appeared in the natural environment for the first time in 2011 in France.
The plant has colonized the canals in the north of the country, becoming a scourge for professionals in river navigation. In the canals, impressive aquatic forests of water milfoil occupy the available space, suffocating local biodiversity. The authorities react with mowing campaigns. Using a tractor boat, the plant is mown and stored on the banks. The operation must be repeated three times a year.
