Galloway Fisheries Trust

CIRB – Invasive Non-Native Plant Species Project

The Project
Galloway Fisheries Trust (GFT) is one of five Scottish partners led by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) with the Ayrshire Rivers Trust, Argyll Fisheries Trust and the Tweed Forum that have successfully secured EU Interreg support for a £2.6 million initiative (with £1.2 million attributed to the Scottish Partners) to control and if possible eradicate on a catchment scale various alien riverbank plants.

This will be achieved by developing best control techniques in cross-border collaboration with Queens University Belfast, the Central Fisheries Board in the Republic of Ireland and the Scottish partners.

The project began on the 1st of September 2010 and will run for 4½ years in order to manage and control effectively the regeneration of the plants and to demonstrate the improved ecosystem services and economic benefits resulting from their removal.

In Galloway all the work will be focused on eradicating Japanese knotweed and Giant Hogweed from across five catchments; Water of Fleet, Water of Luce, Rivers Bladnoch, Urr and the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee. The control work will be undertaken by GFT staff, contractors and volunteers and involve both knapsack spraying and stem injecting herbicide.

This work will support that already being undertaken by the Galloway Fisheries Trust on the lower River Cree to eradicate Japanese Knotweed in and around Newton Stewart.

Invasive non native species infestation and management within Galloway is a priority issue within the Solway Tweed River Basin District as set out in the draft River Basin Management Plan and North Solway Area Management Plan.

These plans together set out strategic (River Basin District scale) and local (Area Management Plan scale) priorities, implementation and detail as part of the Water Framework Directive river basin planning process. Invasive non native species are also identified as priorities generating management provisions and measures in the Dumfries and Galloway Local Biodiversity Action Plan and the Galloway Fisheries Trust Fisheries Management Plan.

Japanese Knotweed on the Luce

Surveying
During the Autumn/Winter of 2010, GFT surveyed the Water of App, Luce, Bladnoch, Fleet, Dee and Urr for the presence of Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed.

GFT recorded:

11,000m2 of Japanese Knotweed on the Water of Luce
450m2 of Japanese Knotweed on the River Bladnoch
3,500m2 of Japanese Knotweed on the Water of Fleet
4,500m2 of Japanese Knotweed on the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee
4,500m2 of Japanese Knotweed on the River Urr
3,500m2 Giant Hogweed on the River Urr

Meet the plants!

The table below describes how to help positively ID two of the most notorious invasive plants, explains the control measures that should be taken to eradicate them, and detail the ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ involved.

Japanese Knotweed
ID:

Green cane-like stems with red specks that can reach up to 2 – 3m tall
Heart shaped green leaves up to 120mm long
Creamy white flowers from August to October
Roots consist of rhizomes that can reach up to 3m deep!

Control:

Applying with a commercial glyphosate-based chemical such as Roundup ProBiactive is highly effective.

1. Spraying – This should take place 4 times per year for a total of 4 years. The initial spraying should commence in May when the plant is 3 foot tall, and the final spraying should be in September just before the plant dies back for the winter. The two other sprayings should be within these dates during the summer.

2. Stem Injection – This should be carried out once a year for a total of two years. This should take place in August time when the plant is at its strongest to support the treatment. A follow up visit should take place to treat any stems missed.

Do’s and Don’ts:

Never throw away or fly tip plant material or soil – under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to plant or otherwise encourage the growth of Japanese Knotweed.
Never strim, flail, mow or chip Japanese Knotweed – pieces of stem as small as a fingernail can grow into new stems.
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) should be contacted before any chemical control takes place near water.
Removal of plant material off site must be carried out by a licensed carrier.

Himalayan Balsam
ID:

Stems are sappy and hollow in pinky-red colour. They can grow to 3m, being the tallest annual plant in Britain
Spear-shaped leaves with serrated edges. Dark green with a dark red midrib up to 150mm long
Flowers are slipper-shaped on long stalks. They are purplish-pink and flower from June to August
Seeds are white, brown and black. They are produced from July to October with 4 – 16 per pod that explode, throwing seeds up to 20 foot

Control:

Spraying with a commercial glyphosate-based chemical such as Roundup ProBiactive is effective. This should be done when the leaves are fully out, but before flowering – typically in June
Cutting stems with a strimmer or pulling up hand before it flowers and sets seeds is successful. This grazing technique is highly effective.
Himalayan Balsam can be disposed of by leaving to dry out onsite or by burning.

Do’s and Don’ts:

Never throw away or fly tip plant material or soil – under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to plant or otherwise encourage the growth of Himalayan Balsam.
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) should be contacted before any chemical control takes place near water.
Do not touch the plant when loaded seed pods are showing - they will explode showering seeds. Be careful not to transport seeds to a new site. Seeds can be hidden in clothing or on your dog for example.

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed all create similar major problems when growing on the banks of rivers and burns. Large strands means loss of access to footpaths and riverbanks for people.

They over shade and exclude native plant species which in turn degrade fish habitat and cause riverbank erosion.

Control work
GFT have allocated each individual river with a specific control method that is based on plant development, location and timing. All INNPS are being controlled by the use of chemical applications between May and October over the next four years using local contractors.

Both stem injection and the traditional knapsack spraying are being used.

Himalayan Balsam

Japanese Knotweed in Winter

River	Method	Time
Water of Luce Approx. 11,000m2	Knapsack Spaying on the main stem river and Stem Injection on the Lady Burn	Visit 1. Early May Visit 2. Late June Visit 3. Late July Visit 4. Early September
River Bladnoch Approx. 450m2	Stem Injection	Visit 1. Early August Visit 2. Late August
Water of Fleet Approx. 3,500m2	Knapsack Spaying on the main stem river and Stem Injection within the town of Gatehouse of Fleet	Visit 1. Late May Visit 2. Mid July Visit 3. Mid August Visit 4. Mid September
Kirkcudbrightshire Dee Approx. 4,500m2	Stem Injection	Visit 1. Early August Visit 2. Late August
Urr Water Approx. 8,000m2	Knapsack Spraying and Stem Injection	Visit 1. Early June Visit 2. Late July Visit 3. Late August

GFT treating Japanese Knotweed

What can you do?
GFT are keen to hear from anyone that has reports of Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam locations near watercourses in Galloway. Dumfries and Galloway Council are equally keen to receive any roadside location reports by calling the main switch board on 030 3333 3000. If you are interested in assisting in this project or wish to find out more information about the current and proposed work, or want advice on controlling these alien plant species, please contact CIRB Project Officer, Neil Dalrymple on 01671 403011 or mail@gallowayfisheriestrust.org.

Galloway Fisheries Trust

Fisheries House, Station Industrial Estate, Newton Stewart, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. DG8 6ND
Telephone: 01671 403011 Fax: 01671 402248 E-mail: mail@gallowayfisheriestrust.org
Scottish Registered Charity No. SC020751