Invasive Non Native Species Control
Countryside Management Partnerships work to
enhance native biodiversity via the control of non-native species.
Many of these non-natives are very invasive and therefore
reduce the habitat available to our own less competitive species.
Some plants can cause damage to our infrastructure and river
banks and many, such as giant hogweed, can be dangerous to our
health. For these reasons, almost all of the targeted non
native species, such as Japanese Knotweed, are costly to the
economy.
Examples of the Invasive Plants targeted by CMPs
- Giant hogweed
- Japanese knotweed
- Himalayan balsam
- Floating pennywort
Services offered:
- Advice on how to treat or remove
species specific invasive plants.
- A cost effective method for
parish and borough councils and individual land owners to meet
their responsibilities in reducing certain plants which by law have
to be controlled.
- Awareness raising, publicity,
education and interpretation on the threat of non native species to
our habitat health and native plants.
- Potential grant assistance for
landowners
- Overall biodiversity
enhancement
- Ongoing survey and data capture
of invasive species distribution and abundance
Contact your local Countryside Management
Partnership for more information.
Case study – River Medway Giant Hogweed Control Programme
The Medway Valley Countryside Partnership
(MVCP) have been delivering the Giant Hogweed Control Programme for
10 years and recently have increased the project to include other
non native plants such as Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.
Initially the project concentrated on hotspot areas along the River
Medway but has expanded over the years and now covers 150km of
riverbank habitat on the main river Medway and its tributaries.
Tributaries of other rivers which flow into the Medway are also
covered and overall MVCP now liaises with around 300 landowners,
giving advice and a fast, effective method of plant
control.