‘Hit squad’ combatting pest plants
A group of tenacious volunteers were not beating about the bush when removing the very last of a destructive plant species at Kinclaven Bluebell Wood.
Now, Woodland Trust Scotland is deploying them as an “elite hit squad” to target Rhododendron ponticum bushes at other sites across the country.
Over the last four-and-a-half years the Kinclaven Woodland Working Group have hacked, sawed and dug their way through a thick mass of the plant that was choking six acres of the site and threatening to take over the rest.
Site manager Jill Aitken said: “Rhododendron ponticum forms dense thickets and shades out native plants.
“If left uncontrolled, it will eventually dominate a wood to the exclusion of all other plant life.
“As this is a very lovely oakwood with lots of native plants, we were very keen not to allow that.
“It is an amazing service our volunteer working group has delivered. This stuff is really difficult to get rid of.
“If you leave the least little bit in the ground it will grow back.
“It has taken a lot of time but they have finally beaten it.”
The clearance work could only take place between September and March each year, to avoid disturbing nesting birds.
Covid restrictions also cut down the time the volunteers had to attack the invasive plant.
The squad put in 1946 volunteer hours on the task which is the equivalent of one person working full time, five days a week for a year.
Around 50 volunteers have been involved in the effort. The team has also cleared nonnative invasive Himalayan balsam from the site, as well as removing lots of old fencing.
Future volunteering tasks at Kinclaven include removing vole guards and tubes from trees planted to expand the woodland, removal of non-native spruce saplings and control of bracken.
“Rhodie bashing” is a common conservation task, but outright victories are hard won.
Ian Riches, who leads the volunteers of the Woodland Working Group, said: “It has taken a long time so it was all the more satisfying to hack out the very last bush. While it has been hard work the team is very sociable and we generally have a great time.
“It keeps us fit and even in the midst of all the sawing and bashing – this wood is a stunning place to be.
“You go to bed tired but happy.”
This year the team will make their second residential trip to Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber, where their efforts are helping in the major restoration work taking place.
Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have raised over £21.9 million since 2010 for the work of the Woodland Trust, has helped fund activities like this right across Great Britain.
A native of western and eastern Mediterranean regions, Asia, and China, Rhododendron ponticum was first introduced to Britain in the 1700s and was widely planted in parkland in Victorian times.
This is the only species of rhododendron that is problematic in the wild for UK biodiversity.
There are hundreds of other varieties to provide attractive garden displays without spreading into the wild.
Some non-ponticum rhododendron bushes have been identified and left undisturbed at Kinclaven, as they pose no threat.