In the UK it is an offence to facilitate the spread of Japanese Knotweed into the wild, the land owner must show that they have taken all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid spreading the plant. It is not against the law for landowners to have Japanese Knotweed on their land, however if it can be shown that the plant has spread to another property they can be considered responsible for any damage caused.
Section 14(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 states “If any person plants or otherwise causes to grow in the wild any plant which is included in part II of schedule 9 he shall be guilty of an offence.”
A vendor wishing to sell a property will complete a TA6 Law Society form where they are legally required to give honest information regarding their property, this now includes any information past or present relating to Japanese Knotweed.
General information: Japanese Knotweed is one of the most invasive plants in the UK. It can grow rapidly up to 1.5mtrs in a month and spreads very easily from stem fragments / rhizomes (underground creeping stems).
Basic Species Information: (Fallopia Japonica, Herbaceous Perennial)
Height: To 3m
Leaves: Rounded triangular to sharp point up to 2cm long
Flower: Creamy white in loose branched spikes
Seeds: To 5mm heart shaped winged sterile
WHAT WE OFFER
We offer a comprehensive site survey to identify the vegetation species and also to establish the extent of the infestation. We will then give prompt advice on the best methods of eradication and land management. This will allow the customer to quickly implement a management plan to prevent further environmental damage and ensure that they are complying with their legal obligations as set out in current legislation.
Treatment by Stem Injection. Different methods of treatment are available. At Acme we offer herbicidal chemical treatment using a stem injection technique. This method enables precise targeting of the invasive species and minimises the damage to environmentally sensitive vegetation such as trees, tree roots, plants and protected wildlife in the localised area. This method requires each stem to be systematically treated with the correct dose of the chemical to prevent re-growth.
Each stem is then marked as treated. After application each stem is marked to ensure that no stem is left untreated. The site will then be left for a period of time allowing the chemical to take effect and the stem to die-back. Once the stems are dead we will return to break off the stems and burn the resulting waste on-site. The site will then be monitored for regrowth for a period of two to three years and should any regrowth appear it will be re-treated as above.
As part of the treatment process Acme will produce a written management program of works for your records which will include;
- Site map detailing areas requiring treatment
- Action plan
- Treatment schedule including repeat applications
- Chemical usage record
PRICING
As no site is the same all prices are site-specific.
OUR EXPERTISE
Our employees hold:
- NPTC Level 2 Certificate of Competence in the Safe Use of Pesticides
- PA1 Foundation Module
- PA6, PA06A & PA06AW Hand Held Applicators
- Operating Hand Held Pesticide Injection Equipment
