Dunblane campaign to eradicate Giant Hogweed

Dunblane Community Council has launched a campaign to eradicate Giant Hogweed from the area.

Giant Hogweed is a large, invasive, non-native plant, originally brought from central Asia and introduced into gardens – from where it has now spread across the wider countryside. Giant Hogweed is prominent along the railway line and the river and has appeared in the Laighhills. Last year a young child was badly burned after coming into contact with the plant species on the Darn Walk. Now action is being taken to make Dunblane a ‘Giant Hogweed-free area’.

The Community Council is working closely with the Forth Fisheries Conservation Trust which has recently appointed a programme coordinator and project officer to manage the problem, as well as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) which is undertaking a control programme in Kippenrait Glen. Kippenrait Glen is a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSI) which runs alongside the Allan Water and Wharry burn between Bridge of Allan and Dunblane. A spokesperson from SNH confirmed that the first phase of the control work was recently carried out on site by contractors. SNH is also working closely with the appropriate landowners. Network Rail have also agreed to spray plants on their land, however details are still awaited of which areas will be sprayed.

Spraying Giant Hogweed with the readily available weed killer Roundup is an effective control method if the plants are sprayed early, before the flower heads develop. You should only consider spraying plants on your own land. Spraying chemicals close to a river requires a licence from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). Before undertaking spraying you should also have undertaken appropriate spraying training.

Terence O'Byrne, Chair of Dunblane Community Council, said ‘We need to eliminate this dangerous weed but this will take a determined effort over several years. I am concerned at the level of infestation in the Laighhills Park. Please do not go near the weed and if you end up getting contaminated by the plant sap then seek medical advice immediately. Children should be kept away from Giant Hogweed. I hope to have a license to spray myself in the next week or so and will be in a position to spray all Giant Hogweed in the Laighhills and along the river banks through Dunblane. I will also put pressure on Stirling Council to spray as soon as possible before the plants flower.”

Update on 16 June 2013 : Terence O'Byrne now has his license to spray Giant Hogweed and has sprayed from the Stirling Arms bridge, past the Faery bridge, and along the river bank in the Laighills amenity area on the east side. He has also sprayed along the core path through the Laighills and along the path from just past the big road bridge up to the point where the core path crosses the Allanwater just before Ashfield Mill. This was done on the last few days so will take at least 2 weeks before the plants start to die off. Do not to try bashing the Hogweed to break the stems; this does not kill the plants. Any such plants will simply come back again next year. It is also dangerous, to say the least.

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