Certain species
of non-native plants, notably Himalayan balsam and Japanese
knotweed are making rapid encroachments on parts of
the Tay system, as in other Scottish river. These species
are aggressive and spread rapidly, crowding out native
plant species and have a general detrimental effect
on river ecology. Knotweed in particular is not easy
to control. Before, these species become even more dominant
than they currently are, management is urgently required.
For a control programme to be successful it must be
conducted in a coordinated manner, otherwise these plants
will merely recolonise. The Tay Foundation is therefore
supporting a survey of the extent of these plants along
the Tay and its tributaries over the summer of 2006
as a precursor to a larger control programme.
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Japanese knotweed (above) and Himalayan balsam
(below) are aggressive garden escapees which threatens
to overwhelm some river’s banks if control
measures are not urgently put in place.
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