Living with Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed has been a hot topic in many communities this past year. Having arrived in the 19th Century as an ornamental plant, it has in recent years taken over large areas of our countryside due to bad management practices and a fundamental lack of awareness of the effects the spread of this invasive species could have.
Japanese Knotweed is known to cause structural damage in construction as its extensive root system can force its way through weakness in buildings and roads.
Its ability to out-compete our native plants, creating a monoculture of Japanese Knotweed, is also reducing our native biodiversity at an alarming rate. This effect is most prevalent along our roadsides and waterways, which act as vital corridors throughout our agricultural areas for all wildlife, particularly birds, bees and other invertebrates.
Due to the extensiveness of this invasion it is beyond the capacity of one organisation or indeed one individual to halt its spread. It is therefore falling on local communities to come to together and implement plans to protect our waterways and roadside verges and reduce the prevalence of Japanese Knotweed in these areas.
One such Community is Caherdaniel in County Kerry where a group of local volunteers have formed the Caherdaniel Japanese Knotweed Group. Their aim is to develop a research project testing and comparing non-chemical methods of Japanese Knotweed management along the
Coomnahorna River, which flows through the centre of the village. Throughout the year they have worked tirelessly to survey the extent of Knotweed growth in their area, build a network of organisations and experts that can assist with the project and secure funding for the project work.
Their most recent event, an EPA-funded community open day that was held in Caherdaniel Hall and entitled ‘ living with Japanese Knotweed’, brought together active committees from the local community development group ‘Choiste Pobail Cathair Donal’ to showcase the range of developments happening in this small village, including a Dark Sky walk, a new playground and an ICW. Government organisations and local environmental groups (IFI, Water and Communities Office, Seasynergy, IPCC, Wild Derrynane and Waterville Lakes and Rivers Trust) were also on hand to showcase the areas unique and varied ecology and heritage.
A youth art project was launched to engage the local children on the importance of native biodiversity and the issues caused by its loss, and local knowledge relating to the history of the Coomnahorna River was also gathered through facilitated storytelling.
Overall the day was very successful, with many local community members enjoying the displays and discovering new facts about the wildlife outside their doors.
The Caherdaniel group is currently working to secure funding for their planned pilot project which, if funded, would help to aid local landowners in managing Japanese Knotweed on their land. It would provide training and local employment on diverse levels, from agricultural to ecological monitoring and project management, all by establishing the specific research sites and monitoring, evaluating and reporting research outcomes.
The Caherdaniel Japanese Knotweed Group would like to thank everyone who has supported them this year and they are looking forward to the New Year and its challenges!
Further information leaflets are available and the group is also on Facebook: Caherdaniel Japanese knotweed group.