Call for hogweed solution is raised in parliament
Fresh calls were this week made for a long-term solution to the funding problem undermining work to eradicate one of the Stirling area’s most invasive species.
Forth Rivers Trust, which has been coordinating the battle against the spread of giant hogweed, told the Observer in July the programme had run out of money.
The battle has been waged by an army of volunteers who since 2012 have been spraying the plant to prevent its further spread along the Forth rivers system.
They have been provided with training, equipment and herbicide by the trust but money for that is fast running out.
Trust operations and development manager Jonathan Louis could not guarantee that work to spray hogweed would continue next year.
His comments came after specific funding for the work, provided by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was withdrawn.
It has led to concerns about the further spread of the plant, which can grow up to five metres high and cause serious burns and blisters if it comes into contact with skin.
Now Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell has called on Scottish Government to provide a long term solution to the giant hogweed issue plaguing the Stirling area.
At a meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s environment committee, Mr Ruskell pressed Minister for the Natural Environment Mairi Gougeon on plans for the issue to be tackled
He also raised the withdrawal of funding in committee with SNH and has written to both it and the Scottish Government to request that funding is restored.
Mr Ruskell said: “The efforts of the volunteers who work so hard to keep this dangerous hogweed infestation under control are laudable, but without funding and a long term plan from Scottish Government agencies then their work is being critically undermined. Giant Hogweed poses a significant public health and flooding risk, it also damages protected nature sites such as Kippenrait Glen. SEPA and SNH can’t be allowed to simply abandon the river to its fate and expect the community to pick up the pieces, they need to provide funding and a sustainable plan.”
Alison Baker, director of the Forth Rivers Trust said: “Giant hogweed has a negative impact on our rivers and the land alongside them.
“The plant not only out competes our native plants, but also contributes to erosion and loss of soil into our rivers degrading the river habitat and affecting wildlife.”
She felt volunteers were “rightly angry that the investment they have made in the river and the land adjacent to it for the benefit of all to live and visit the river will be lost if they are not helped to undertake this important work”.
SEPA land and unit manager for Nathan Critchlow-Watton told the Observer in July the agency contributed more than £25,000 to fighting invasive non-native species (INNS) in the Forth catchment area between 2016 and the end of March this year.
He added: “Funding was given to Forth Rivers Trust (formerly River Forth fisheries Trust) for several years for their project to build capacity across organisations and volunteer groups to manage INNS into the future. This covered the cost of training and purchasing equipment.
“When the last grant was awarded in May, 2018, Forth Rivers Trust was reminded that it would be the final award to be made for the project under the existing agreement.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As one of the five main drivers of biodiversity loss, we take the control of invasive non-native species extremely seriously.
“While Scottish Natural Heritage and other public bodies take an operational lead on supporting the control of invasive non-native plants in priority areas, the responsibility for species management rests with landowners and developers.”