Sarika
India is an ecological hotspot with ten unique biogeographical zones and a significant variety of endemic flora and fauna, thus well known as a mega-biodiverse country. In this Anthropocene era, the Indian landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation, which is not solely due to climate change and deforestation, but also to the silent crisis of invasive alien species (IAS). IAS are often regarded as a serious threat to biodiversity, alongside habitat degradation, across the globe. However, what is less discussed are the multi-faceted dimensions of their complex nature, as they influence social, ecological, and economic areas. While over the decades, ecological consequences are well-documented, the social, economic, and gendered implications of this invasion are too often neglected. It is essential to ask a question: When forests cease to fulfill their role for the communities reliant on them, who bears the most severe consequences?
Lantana as an Ecological Emergency
Fig. 1: Lantana camara Invasion in Malai Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, India
In India, 330 IAS are known to be invasive, out of which 3% have led to a loss of approximately ₹8.3 trillion in the last six decades, making India the second most invasion cost-bearing country. An analysis of all the costs caused by IAS shows that animals account for 35%, plants 15%, fungi and bacteria 1%, and the rest by unspecified species (Bang et al. 2022). One of the most aggressive and pantropic IAS is Lantana camara. It is a woody perennial understory shrub native to South America, introduced to India in 1809 as an ornamental plant by the British. The species exhibits concerning trends, as Lantana invasion is an emergent phenomenon arising from the interaction between landscape and ecological processes. These processes resemble complex adaptive systems, where the spread of invasive species is not merely a deterministic process but also a chain of dynamic feedback loops, network interactions, and self-establishment. A recent study shows that Lantana invasion threatens 40 % of India’s tiger habitat and is likely to invade approximately 303 km² soon (Mungi et al. 2020).
Economic Vulnerability
Lantana aggressively replaces native flora that tribal and rural communities depend on for non timber forest products (NTFPs) such as medicinal plants, fodder, fruits, and fuelwood. In regions like the Malai Mahadeshwara Hills (Karnataka), Dindori (Madhya Pradesh), and parts of Odisha, this has led to the loss of seasonal income and food security, especially for indigenous groups like the Soligas, Gonds, and Baigas. Some tribal artisan communities who used to make bamboo- and cane-based products for their livelihood are also facing lost income and increased hardship. As a result, people are moving out of the forests. Data shows agriculture loss due to Lantana is 13.8% in transplanted rice and 35% in groundnuts. Most affected farmers are small landholders, with more than 70% owning less than 2 hectares of land, and their lives have been significantly impacted, as it has altered soil properties (Hiremath et al. 2005, Sharma et al. 2005).
Farmers have also noticed an increase in human-wildlife conflict, with frequent incidents involving elephants, deer, etc., entering farmlands because there is no food left in Lantana-infected Forest regions. Another major issue is livestock productivity loss, which affects pastoralists and smallholder farmers. Tribal communities’ livestock largely depend on forest grasses and fodder, but the reduction in palatable grasses along with a reduction in grazing lands has led to decreased productivity and increased management costs. The cost of invasive species removal is very high— it takes about ₹1 lakh to restore just 1 hectare of Lantana-infested land. To restore 13 million hectares, it would take ₹1.3 lakh crore (or approx.17 billion USD) (Kannan et.al.2014). Efforts to control invasions require time, money, and labor, putting pressure on already limited resources. In many cases, invasive species force a male who is the earning person in the family to migrate or seek alternative livelihoods under uncertain conditions. Overall, the reduced availability of non timber forest products like medicinal plants and fodder pushes households into greater vulnerability.
The Gendered Burden of Invasion
Lantana invasion is not gender-neutral, as women often bear the responsibility of collecting firewood and fodder, and taking care of grazing livestock. This work becomes more time consuming and physically demanding as native species disappear under dense Lantana thickets. Women used to collect non-timber forest products (NTFPs), seasonal vegetables, and herbs from the forest, but now the availability of these resources has drastically reduced. Women share their experiences, saying they now have to go deeper into the forest to collect NTFPs, which increases the risk of encountering wild animals.
They also mention that they do not collect Lantana for firewood because it produces excess ash. Even domestic animals refuse to eat it, as it can pose health risks, meaning there is no natural predation or use of this species. In rural agricultural settings, women are also involved in removing weeds and invasive species from farmlands, adding to their labor burden. This increased workload reduces their time for education, rest, or income-generating activities, further worsening gender inequality in rural areas. All this work, combined with their domestic responsibilities, has an even greater impact on women’s lives.
Research and Policy Gaps
Disaster management frameworks in India often focus on sudden events—floods, droughts, cyclones, epidemics—but overlook slow-onset disasters like biodiversity loss and desertification. Yet, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) recognizes such gradual processes as disaster risks. By this definition, the spread of invasive alien species should be treated as a national disaster risk. Despite the growing evidence of IAS consequences, India’s Disaster Management Act (2005) and the National Disaster Management Plan (2016) do not mention invasive species or include them in forest disaster risk frameworks. Compounding this is the absence of a single coordinating agency to manage IAS. Departments such as Forest, Environment, Disaster Management, Agriculture, and Tribal Welfare work in isolation, resulting in poor coordination and resource allocation.
Why IAS Should Be Treated as a National Disaster Risk :
● Complex interconnected social, ecological, and economic dimensions
● Their spread is slow but often irreversible, making management and recovery extremely difficult and costly.
● The worst impacts fall on the most vulnerable, especially women and indigenous communities.
● Undermines ecological resilience and rural economies.
● Worsen the impact of disaster and make post-disaster recovery harder
Species like Lantana camara are not just a shrub out of place; it is a symbol of ecological neglect, colonial legacy, and governance failure. Their spread is slow and silent, but their consequences are loud in the lives of the poor, the landless, and the forest-dependent. We need to reframe the narrative, i.e., from viewing IAS as an ecological disaster to a socio-ecological Justice issue. Recognizing IAS as a disaster risk would unlock funding for prevention and control, promote early warning systems, and foster cross-sector collaboration. Acknowledging the full spectrum of their impact, social, ecological, economic, and gender, is the first step toward meaningful action. This means creating awareness and highlighting the issue, like gender labor burden, livelihood loss to forest-dependent communities, long-term threat to sustainable development, and a holistic framework for IAS management and landscape restoration, can be the beginning of a meaningful conversation on ecological justice, community resilience, and inclusive restoration.
About the Contributor: Sarika is a PhD Student and a Three Cairns Fellow at Yale ELTI. Sarika is also a Fellow of the Environment Policy and Action Youth Fellowship (EPAYF) Cohort 2.0.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
The Price of Green: Why Sustainable Choices Must Be Made Affordable in India
Tourism and the Environment: Towards a More Sustainable Future
Acknowledgment: This article was posted by Riya Rawat, researcher at IMPRI.
