Invasive Weed Control
'Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 landowners have a legal responsibility to prevent the spread of some invasive weed species such as Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed'
We are experienced in the control and removal of invasive weed species such as Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed , Himalayan Balsam and Ragwort.
Japanese Knotweed is Britain's most invasive non-native plant. It was originally brought from the Far East as an ornamental plant by the Victorians but it has now widely naturalised.
It spreads easily via rhizomes and cut stems or crowns, It out-competes native flora , It is difficult and expensive to control or eradicate. It can cause structural damage to buildings.
Giant hogweed is a perennial with tuberous root stalks which form perennating buds each year. Giant Hogweed is a foreign invader that prevents native plant species from growing. Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 / Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 it is an offence to 'plant or otherwise cause Giant Hogweed to grow' in the wild. This includes spreading the species or transferring polluted ground material from one area to another.
Himalayan Balsam was introduced to the UK in 1839, it is now naturalised, especially on riverbanks and increasingly in waste places and has become a problematic weed. Himalayan balsam tolerates low light levels and, in turn, tends to shade out other vegetation, impoverishing habitats. It is sometimes seen in gardens, either uninvited or grown deliberately, but care must be taken to ensure that it does not escape into the wild.
Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are poisonous to horses, other farm animals such as sheep and cattle and also to wild animals such as hare and deer. It is important for horse owners and horse pasture owners to recognise and control this potentially fatal plant.
