Vesti FM: AltSU biologists continue to work on Black Book of the region

8 June 2021 Department of Information and Media Communications
Radio Rossii and Vesti FM posted a report by correspondents of State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company "Altai" that Altai State University, by order of Barnaul City Administration, is implementing a project to develop the concept “Barnaul is a green city”, containing several directions, in particular, identifying plants harmful to the Altai flora.

The region's Black Book can help to limit the spread of alien plants that destroy local ecosystems.

Botanists have been accounting and researching invasive species for more than 20 years, a significant part of the materials of Altai scientists was used to create Black Book of Siberian Flora. A similar collection is needed for Altai Krai, as each region has its own problems. For example, Sosnowsky's hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi) is still rare in the region. It has occupied large territories in European Russia and is moving deeper into Siberia. For our region, a more urgent problem is combating boxelder maple (Acer negundo). This tree is both strong with its natural features and protected by legislation.

Tatiana Teryokhina, Professor of the Department of Botany, Altai State University:

The maple still belongs to broad-leaved species, this maple is ash-leaved, and we cannot do anything about it for many years. In this genus, there are really valuable broadleaf breeds. The managers from Moscow do not differentiate the breeds, and they impose punishment for cutting these trees. Actually, it is a weedy breed. So, on the contrary, people should be awarded for destroying these plants. But it is not so easy to break through the red tape.

According to Tatiana Teryokhina, further studies of dangerous plants are necessary in order to prove the need for changes in legislation. The work of Altai scientists in this direction is now financed by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.

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