Kampinos National Park begins fight against invasive knotweed

Kampinos National Park, in collaboration with the Izabelin Commune Office, has launched an initiative to combat invasive knotweed along a dike in Truskaw. The plant, which originates from East Asia, has formed a dense, two-meter-high belt along the path leading from Truskaw to Mokre Łąki, threatening local ecosystems by displacing native flora.

Volunteers from the park are performing physical removal and cutting of the plants. The operation involves land owned by the national park, the commune, and private owners, with costs shared between the institutions. Because the plant's rhizomes can grow through asphalt and concrete and regenerate from small fragments, officials emphasize that the removal process must be systematic and long-term.

Authorities are urging hikers and tourists to avoid the designated work zones and refrain from touching or pulling the plant shoots to prevent further spread.