Japanese knotweed could be affecting almost 1.4 million UK homes – but people are fighting back
Japanese knotweed is an invasive weed
GB NEWS
Japanese Knotweed is an invasive non-native species (INNS) that was first brought to our shores back in the nineteenth century.
Since then, it has spread rapidly, and it’s now estimated that around four per cent of homes in the UK are impacted either directly or indirectly by this plant.
In the last decade alone, it has also cost the UK’s economy an estimated £246.5million.
If it’s found either on a property or within seven metres of the property boundary, Japanese Knotweed can also be a significant issue for homeowners.
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If a person sells their home and says they don’t have Japanese knotweed affecting the premises – even if they are unaware of it – they can thereby be found guilty of misrepresentation.
The current average cost of this in the UK is around £32,000.
As a result, homeowners are now being advised to have their property surveyed before selling, to give them peace of mind one way or another.
Director at ‘The Japanese Knotweed Expert’, Jason Harker, said: “A survey is typically around the £400 mark… then you’ve either definitely got it and a management plan can be put into place, or you definitely don’t have it… that gives your sale more chance of going through smoothly.”
Removing this INNS is a complex process – The Japanese Knotweed Expert use chemicals that are 300 times stronger than what is available to the public.
They either inject or spray this chemical, which – at this time of year – is then carried down into the rhizomes and kills them there directly.
However, even when carried out by professionals, it can still take around three years to eradicate the problem altogether.
According to Environet, the North West of England is one of the areas affected by Japanese Knotweed.
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John and his team carrying out an eradication
GB NEWS
As such, one local fisherman in Bolton decided last year to apply for some funding to try and tackle this ever-growing problem.
John Frazer, the Head of the ‘Knotweed Eradication Project’, became certified in weed removal.
Now, John regularly takes out and supervises other volunteers to inject and spray herbicide on areas particularly affected by Japanese Knotweed.
John became particularly concerned when he noticed the impact the weed was having on the natural biodiversity of riverbanks in the North West.
He said: “The native vegetation lives in harmony together, but the Japanese Knotweed has destroyed that.”
He believes this is having an impact on the ecosystem of the rivers, as by impacting plant life, this then has a knock-on effect on the rest of the food chain.
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