Control of injurious weeds
5.1 The Weeds Act 1959 applies to five injurious
weeds that are considered to be a potentially serious
threat to agricultural production, namely:
• Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare),
• Creeping or Field thistle (Cirsium
arvense),
• Curled dock (Rumex crispus),
• Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
• Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).
5.2 Where either a complaint about an injurious
weed infestation has been made or the problem is picked up
during the course of a compliance inspection, the SEERAD
officer assigned to the case should try his/her best to
achieve a solution through advice and persuasion. If that
approach fails and as a last resort, it may be necessary to
make use of the statutory powers available under the Weeds
Act.
5.3 The Management of Water Margins option states
that control of the injurious weeds specified in the Act
(and also Giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed) is
required.
5.4 If the conservation interest of a habitat or
feature covered by an agri-environment scheme agreement is
being damaged or the aim of a scheme management
prescription is being frustrated by the presence of
injurious weeds on land either bounding or within the site
concerned, this must be considered a breach of scheme
conditions and breach action must be taken.
5.5 Injurious weeds can be controlled by either
chemical or mechanical means. Care should be taken to
select the method that is most appropriate to the weed
species and the site. Herbicides may be applied to areas of
conservation value only where it is to control bracken,
spear thistle, creeping thistle, field thistle, curled
dock, broadleaved dock, or ragwort and, in the case of
water margins, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed. Any
herbicides used must be applied by weed wiper
(tractor-mounted or hand-held), spot treatment or hand
sprayer. Where a tractor-mounted sprayer is used, this
should be in association with a hand lance.
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