‘There is no such thing as overharvesting’
Botanist leilooney (@leilooney) recently came across an interesting plant while searching for food and shared some information about it with her TikTok followers.
“Eating invasive plants is an easy way to protect native forests,” he said wrote in the video title. The plant he is referring to is the banana polka vine or banana passion fruit. It is native to South America but is classified as invasive. New Zealand And Hawaii due to its ability to strangle trees.
“There is no such thing as overharvesting invasive plants,” Leilooney wrote later in the video and stocked up. Banana passion fruit is delicious enough to be grown regularly in its natural environment, and proper harvesting abroad can help reduce its spread.
Invasive species are a big problem. When a plant or animal is introduced to a new environment, it is freed from the natural checks and balances with which it evolved, providing it with the opportunity to outcompete native species in its new home. This can lead to monopolies over vital resources such as space, food and water, pushing native species out of their habitats and reducing biodiversity.
Worse still, humans and other creatures depend on the ecosystem services this biodiversity provides. One study suggested that invasive species cause economic costs of hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Another estimated the costs would be more than a trillion dollars over 50 years.
The strategy of eating invasive species to limit their spread is gaining traction. For example, some communities catch and cook lionfish. Others have launched entire restaurant menus based on foraging for invasive plants.
Leilooney’s TikTok followers were keen on the idea of getting delicious fruit while preventing the spread of invasive species.
“Let’s eat all the invaders” in question a community member.
Join us free newsletter for easy tips save more And less wasteand don’t miss it this is a great list Easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
