A CONCENTRATED drive to tackle the problem of rampaging Japanese Knotweed along the banks of the River Tavy in Tavistock is to be stepped up a gear in coming weeks. The invasive plant is notoriously difficult to control or obliterate and its spread is a threat to native flora and fauna. Members of the town council?s properties committee last week heard that some of the authority?s works department have now completed a special training course, enabling them to undertake special measures to eradicate the weed. Works superintendent Wayne Southall told members: ?The lads have just completed their course which means they can inject the stems. We now have to apply for consent from Defra to carry it out, then we can inject the stems right up to the river?s edge. ?Currently we are just cutting it, drying it out and burning it.? He said the weed could not be sprayed with pesticide because of the danger of infecting the river water. Mr Southall said workmen would have to excavate to a depth of up to three metres if they were to try and dig the weed out ? this also posed a risk as far as disturbance of the rhizomes beneath the earth were concerned, sparking an even greater spread of the plant. He said there was also concern about the spread of the weed in gardens along Dolvin Road, on land not owned by the council. And he warned members about the dangers of strimming the weed down. ?It?s the worse thing you can do, it spreads so easily,? he said. Cllr Norma Woodcock said it was vital the work was done, but the council would have to recognise the job would take up a considerable amount of valuable staff time. Col Roger Howard said a letter would be sent to householders in the Dolvin Road area, warning them about Japanese Knotweed, how to spot it, what measures could be taken to control it and giving them sources of information about the pest, such as internet web pages. Japanese Knotweed has pale, light green heart-shaped leaves and clusters of small white flowers in August. It dies back in October, leaving a mass of hollow, cane-like stems ? new growth shoots up during the spring. It can spread up to seven metres a year. It is an offence to plant or encourage the growth of Japanese Knotweed under the wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
