River Don Invasives Control Project
Project Partners
Don & District Salmon Fishery Board & Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group
Want to help these initiatives? Why not donate here to the River Don Trust and help make a real difference. To make a donation click this link where you will be taken to a secure online payment system operated by a supporter organisation, Aberdeen and District Angling Association
Background
|
This project follows a pilot carried out by the Deveron, Isla and Bogie Trust in partnership with FWAG in 2006. The River Bogie catchment was surveyed and mapped for Giant Hogweed to allow plans and costings for a 3 year control programme to be drawn up, after appropriate consultation with stakeholders
Giant Hogweed is a pernicious alien invader which causes severe skin inflammation when touched, a form of dermatitis that can persist for several months. It forms dense, impenetrable stands that restrict access on the river banks for walkers, farmers and anglers and poses a significant risk, particularly for children. Giant Hogweed has a significant impact on river eco-systems as it excludes native bank side vegetation, replacing it with dense stands which die back in winter, creating bare ground vulnerable to soil erosion which in turn leads to sirtation and pollution of fish spawning grounds.
|
 |
.
.
Key national and local biodiversity action plan species such as otter, water vole, Daubentons bat, brown trout and salmon are all being adversely affected and the economic impact on the Don, an important trout and salmon river, is significant
Japanese Knotweed similarly is a growing problem for biodiversity - although not poisonous to humans, the dense stands it forms have similar effect on riparian ecology to giant hogweed. Its population is thought to be expanding in the Don catchment.
Control of giant hogweed was implemented by Gordon District Council until 1996, when Grampian Regional Council took over and abolished the programme. Since then, no spraying has been carried out along the Don and the weeds are expanding significantly. To implement an effective control programme for the eradication of invasives it is necessary to carry out a baseline survey to assess the spread and location of the plants. Spraying can then be carried out in a co-ordinated and efficient fashion. SERA will be consulted prior to commencement of spraying.
The Project will be carried out in 3 phases:
Phase I - Spring/Summer 2009 -: Survey of the Mainstem River Don from source to Alford by Don & District Salmon Fishery Board staff,funding applied for
Phase 2 - Spring/Summer 2010: Start of implementation of control by spraying along mainstem Don.
Survey of the Urie tributary. Mapping of results.
Spring^jummer 201 I & 2012: Continuation of spraying & mapping/coordination.
Phase 3 - Spring/Summer 2013: Final survey/spray & report
Location maps appended
Stakeholders
Local Angling Associations
The general public - access
Aberdeenshire Environmental Forum
Don & District Salmon Fishery Board - fish & riparian habitat
LBAP - riparian habitat, water vole, otter, daubentons bat, brown trout, atlantic salmon
|
