Alarm on the North Sea: potato rose threatens coastal protection and ecosystem!

Alarm on the North Sea: potato rose threatens coastal protection and ecosystem!

Cuxhaven, Deutschland - The potato rose known as Adolf Hitler-Rose spreads rapidly on the German North Sea coast and causes serious problems for the ecosystem and coastal protection. This invasive plant, originally from East Asia, was introduced in World War II to camouflage bunkers. Today it not only threatens domestic plant species, but also the stability of the dikes that are important for coastal protection. "The potato rose has established itself everywhere in Lower Saxony, especially on the East Frisian Islands and on the mainland coast," explains Fabian Buß from the Lower Saxony State Operation for Water Management, coastal and nature conservation.

The roots of the potato rose do not ensure the necessary stability in dunes or dikes. Instead, they weaken them against storm surge loads and endanger security against erosion. Combating the rose is extremely difficult because it quickly regenerates and spreads. The authorities strive to push the plant back, but the measures can only be implemented in terms of selection due to their resilience and size of the stocks. The situation remains tense, while the potato rose shows an increasingly threatening presence on the coast according to information from www.tz.de .