Invasive species and their effects Asset Management & Weed Control

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1 Invasive species and their effects Asset Management & Weed Control APSE Conference, Aviemore 8 th May 2008

2 Who am I? Alisdair Mason Development Director LanGuard Ltd.

3 LanGuard VM Diversified Vegetation Management Business Nationwide Coverage Est. over 25 years ISO 9001:2000 Investor in People Amenity Assured BACCS NAAC

4 LanGuard VM 8 Regional bases Wide range of equipment 3 BASIS Advisors (Professional Register) Over 60 spray operators NRoSO 10 Aquatic specialists

5 LanGuard VM

6 LanGuard VM - Invasives

7 Other Invasives Buddleia Rhododendron Aquatics New Zealand Pigmy weed (Australian Swamp Stonecrop) Crassula helmsii Parrot's-feather Myriophyllum aquaticum Water Fern Azolla filiculoides Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides Water Primrose Animals Grey squirrel

8 Invasive Legislation Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 Environmental Protection Act 1990 Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 Natural Environment & Rural Communities Act 2006 Import of Live Fish Act (1980) and Import of Live Fish (Scotland) Act (1978) Plant Health Act (1967) ; Plant Health (England) Order (2005) ; Plant Health (Wales) Order (2006) ; Plant Health (Scotland) Order (2005) ; Plant Health (Forestry) Order (2005) The Destructive Imported Animals Act (1932) Dangerous Wild Animals Act (1976) Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000) Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (1975) as amended by the Environment Act (1995) Salmon Act (1986) Bees Act (1980) Zoos Licensing Act (1981) Pet Animals Act (1951) Animals Scientific Procedures Act (1986) Weeds Act (1959) and Ragwort Control Act (2003)

9 Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 9 lists plants that cannot be planted or caused to grow in the wild only includes two terrestrial species! Japanese Knotweed Giant Hogweed In England & Wales

10 Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 In Scotland Schedule 9 was updated 30 th June 2005 now includes nine invasive aquatic plants and four more terrestrial plants Curly Waterweed - Lagarosiphon major False-acacia - Robinia pseudo acacia Fanwort - Cabomba caroliniana Water Fern - Azolla filiculoides Few-flowered Leek - Allium paradoxum Floating Pennywort - Hydrocotyle ranunculoides Giant Salvinia - Salvinia molesta Hottentot Fig - Carpobrotus edulis New Zealand Pigmy weed (Australian Swamp Stonecrop) - Crassula helmsii Parrot's-feather - Myriophyllum aquaticum Shallon - Gaultheria shallon Water Hyacinth - Eichhornia crassipes Water Lettuce - Pistia stratiotes

11 Plants that need to be avoided Azolla filiculoides - Water fern Cabomba caroliniana -Fanwort Cotoneaster microphyllus Cotoneaster simonsii Crassula helmsii - New Zealand Pigmy weed Eichhornia crassipes - Water Hyacinth Elodea candensis Elodea nuttallii Fallopia japonica - Japanese Knotweed Gunnera tinctoria - Giant Rhubarb Heracleum mantegazzianum - Giant Hogweed Hydrocotyle ranunculoides - Floating Pennywort Hyacinthoides hispanica -Spanish Bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica x H. nonscripta - Garden or hybrid bluebell Lagarosiphon major - Curly Waterweed Myriophyllum aquaticum - Parrot's Feather Pistia stratiotes - Water Lettuce Robinia pseudo acacia - False Acacia Rhododendron ponticum - Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum x catawbiense Rhododendron ponticum x maximum Salvinia molesta - Giant Salvinia According to PlantLife, all these plants should be banned from sale in the UK

12 The Big Four

13 Application of resources Survey Database GPS Prioritise Giant Hogweed Japanese Knotweed Ragwort Plan In House Contract out Timescales

14 Best Value in Weed Control Set objectives Clear Achievable Quantifiable Start early! Spray Programmes are always the most cost effective Targeted Programmes Employ competent contractors Avoid expensive miracle cures Pay on results?

15 Japanese Knotweed Spectacular plant It can grow up to 10cm per day Aerial growth can reach 3m in height Rhizomes extend to a depth of 3m The rhizome mat can extend up to 7m from aerial growth No seed All plants in the UK are female Possible clones of original 1825 plant Spread throughout UK by vegetative means Just 1cm (or 0.7 grams) rhizome fragment is sufficient to start a new colony Hybrids and close relatives X Bohemica Giant Knotweed var Compacta Russian Vine

16 Japanese Knotweed Timescales are important Dig& Dump Onsite treatment Combination techniques Chemical treatment Local environment is also important Near water Near desirable trees Final use of treated soil None of the above

17 Japanese Knotweed Chemical options Tordon picloram Timbreltriclopyr Roundup Pro Biactive glyphosate New formulations! Secret systems Stem injection Biological

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19 Giant Hogweed Another spectacular plant up to 4 years to flower Leaves expand to over 1 m Flower spike can reach 5 m Umbrella like flower can be in excess 0.5 metres It does produce seed 50,000 seeds per plant viable for up to 15 years It is a public health hazard! Toxic sap Photo sensitive blistering

20 Giant Hogweed Relatively easy to control Chemical options Roundup Pro Biactive glyphosate Depitox 2,4 D Multiple visits Erosion of seed bank Timing can be important Over a number of years

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22 Common Ragwort Native species Biennial lifecycle Prolific seed production Up to 150,000 seeds/plant 80% seeds are viable viable for up to 20 years Dispersed by the wind for up to 80m It is toxic! Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) Grazing animals particularly horses And Others!

23 Common Ragwort Relatively easy to control Chemical options Depitox 2,4 D Barrier H Citronella oil Instigate a programme Based on accurate survey Spot treat preserve biodiversity Keep the problem at bay Over a number of years Cultural Techniques Maintain a tight sward Cutting Becomes perennial Disposal clippings Pulling Root fragments Disposal issues Health hazard laborious

24 Thank you for your attention Questions?