Perception and management approaches of Asian knotweeds

Abstract

Asian knotweeds are among the most widespread invasive plants in metropolitan France. As they are likely to settle in monospecific thickets eliminating any herbaceous or shrub layer in very diverse biotopes, they concern a large number of public managers and private owners. Over the years, the technical possibilities of their management have benefited from a very wide dissemination of information making it possible to regulate them in various situations. However, many managers have been faced with the need for regular interventions that need to be adapted to the local colonization context in order to allow long-term site maintenance. The achievements of research carried out in parallel on these species have contributed to changing the perception of the stakes and approaches of this management, gradually moving from a more or less systematic struggle towards a "living with", accepting the technical and financial limitations of interventions. As the skills they incorporate into their approaches and interventions increase, managers are increasingly involved in this ongoing collective learning that actually constitutes the management of these species.