Injurious Weeds Survey

Injurious Weeds and Invasive Plants

Many plants are typically found all over Great Britain, but while most native plants are unable to create any issues, certain plant species can cause a lot of different problems for the general public, nearby animals and the environment as a whole. Invasive plant species are especially troublesome, including the subcategory of injurious weeds that occupy rural and urban parts of the country.

Developers need to consider the effect of injurious weeds if any are spotted on their development site. Local authorities will need assurances that they’ve been dealt with properly before granting planning permission, as invasive plant species come with numerous ecological and legal factors. A planning project can only realistically move forward with the guidance of an injurious weeds survey.

What are Injurious Weeds?

An injurious weed is a specific plant species listed within UK legislation as potentially dangerous to agriculture and livestock, as well as opening up numerous threats to development projects. Although similar to non-native invasive plant species, injurious weeds are usually native plants. Similarities between the two, however, include the ability to spread quickly and negatively impact other natural assets.

In Australia, Canada and the United States, injurious weeds are known as ‘noxious weeds’. The term is used outside of the UK as an umbrella covering all forms of invasive species. Listed plants can threaten environmental groups, farmers, landowners and transport authorities, and a developer’s likelihood of being able to obtain planning acceptance from the corresponding local planning authority.

Injurious Weed Species

The main five species of injurious weeds present in the British Isles are:

• Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
• Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
• Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
• Curled Dock (Rumex crispus)
• Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Effect on Other Plants, Human Health and the Environment

Based on the species and the level of spread, injurious weeds can harm agricultural land, non-invasive plants and otherwise healthy grazing animals. Creeping or field thistle weeds are capable of out-competing native species and reducing forage production in grazing pastures. For grazing horses, fallow deer and other livestock, the expected intake of nutrition is slowed, and in the case of marsh ragwort, the yellow flowers are highly toxic to animals, with the British Horse Society campaigning against it.

The ecological impact also extends to biodiversity loss and soil degradation. At the point of conflict with agricultural activities, the weeds begin to reduce agricultural productivity by increasing the need for herbicide use, limiting crop yields and lowering soil fertility. While harmful weeds aren’t as much of a threat to humans as non-native invasive species such as giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam, some are capable of causing skin irritation and respiratory issues.

Protective Legal Framework

Aggressive weed species were spreading in the mid-20th century without regulation, and as such, they were causing unknown levels of damage to crops, pastures and livestock. In response, the Weeds Act 1959 was created to promote reasonable efforts to control the spread of injurious weeds, support agriculture, and prevent unnecessary harm from coming to livestock.

Part of it allows DEFRA to issue enforcement notices to anyone who could be responsible for spreading the five species listed above. Natural England may also step in on matters affecting non-compliance and weed management. Other legislation, however, also plays a part in regulating the two species of invasive and non-invasive species of plants.

For example, Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to plant or allow the spread of all invasive species, and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 lists the plant species as a ‘controlled waste’ if removed from land, making it a legal requirement for it to be disposed of correctly to avoid environmental contamination and further spread to other areas.

Injurious Weed Survey

If an injurious weed has been proven or even just suspected to be on a development site, an assessment will be needed as a way of confirming the presence, identifying the type of weed, pinpointing locations on the site, working out the severity of the spread, gauging the likelihood of damage, and producing measures to control, relocate, remove or destroy it.

Steps in the Assessment Process

Initial Site Assessment

• An ecological consultant inspects all vegetation across the site and highlights any injurious weed species
• Specific observations are noted down, such as disturbed soils due to how they can contribute to weeds spreading elsewhere
• Key details are recorded, such as the location, density and potential for spread

Mapping and Risk Analysis

• Weed infestations are mapped, with areas marked where weeds are actively spreading or where conditions are high risk for future growth
• A risk assessment will determine whether the weeds will impact planning approval or if weed control measures are needed
• Other potentially affected areas are considered, such as adjacent land and private gardens

Weed Control Plan

• Results from the site visit will decide the approach for a control strategy
• The main aim of the strategy will be to prevent injurious weeds from interfering with land use and growing across the large area nearby
• Possible control measures could include herbicide treatment, manual removal and soil management strategies

Implementation and Monitoring

• Recommended weed control measures will be conducted based on the instructions of the ecological consultant
• Frequent monitoring may be advised as a way of preventing additional weed growth in the future
• An injurious weed survey report will be created to explain the outcome of the assessment and give the local planning authority every reason to grant planning consent

Contact Arbtech for a Free Quote Today

At any point that native species that are considered injurious could be occupying your development site, it would be worth speaking to Arbtech so we can evaluate whether or not you need our services. Likewise, if you’re dealing with an invasive non-native species such as Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam or giant hogweed, our team can help by undertaking an invasive species survey. Just contact us directly and we will happily talk you through your options to progress your development.

You can request a free quote from our administration team by calling us, emailing us, or filling out a quote form at the top of this page or on our contact page. We can then begin helping you with harmful weeds on your site, consider any impact on nearby agricultural land, and give you a quote based on the further information you provide us with. If you’re happy with the quote, we can set a date to visit your site, conduct an injurious weeds survey, and help you to get planning.