Nature Hannah
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Posts posted by Nature Hannah
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And then there was the frost kill...
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You've probably noticed, it's kinda crazy out there this year...
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You've probably noticed, it's kinda crazy out there this year...
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This is going to be big going forward, because as a Tall Grass and Weeds enforcer, I can explain why a property hasn't been mowed due to knotweed, but the person who comes after me may not understand and mow through what I tip toed around. Also, if the City structure doesn't understand the danger and ORDERS it mowed, there is the possibility of being liable for spread.
It's such a tricky subject, but something that must be talked about as a community so our message/direction is clear across the board.
#ThisPlantChangesEverything
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I'll try to be better about updating things here this season. Crazy busy in my personal life and all this knotweed stuff is done in my "free time". I've been honored to speak for a couple CISMA events in Mid and Southwest Michigan over the winter. I'm trying to keep up with developments in the United Kingdom and share them on my Facebook page, but even that has fallen behind. Still, some exciting finds I'll share in this post and as I discover them!
In other awesome news, I've been selected to take the message of the coming "Day of the Knoweed" to the American Public Works Association National Public Works Conference in August! Knotweed will have a National platform and hopefully put the Michigan Network(s) on the map!
So now I'm going to need as much help as possible hearing what cities in Michigan and other states are doing to spread awareness and NOT spread the plant. Please send me pictures of local damage I can share!
I will be echoing the call for a NATIONAL awareness and response, and sharing the containment information from the UK, that you can find here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading (Cut and dry basics)
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109 (you'll have to scroll past the "changes" to get to the "pretty" stuff
http://www.cornwallknotweed.org.uk/media/3638576/identification-final.pdf (So pretty!)
http://www.cornwallknotweed.org.uk/environment-and-planning/trees-hedges-and-woodland/invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed/ (The Hub of great, proven, acclaimed information. Click around!)
There's also been a ground-breaking case of a court ruling AGAINST the Railroad in a Japanese knotweed case. It's expected that the Railroad will appeal, but it's HUGE because it sets the precedent for thousands of affected landowners in the UK who have land touching 'superpowers' like Railroad and City/Council property infested with knotweed. I wouldn't spread this information around too much, but just be aware that this could change things even over here. Here is the legal framework for how/why the case has (so far) turned out the way it has. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=69332368-0417-4a0b-a149-812c43bea324
Also worth knowing, this company is exploring using electricity to boil the water inside the plant... http://www.producebusinessuk.com/purchasing/stories/2017/01/25/sustainable-and-eco-friendly-ways-to-deal-with-weeds
I'm starting to encourage participants to form action groups, contacting their local representatives and people they know in research universities to see who might already be doing research on knotweed in Michigan. At the very least, it gets the name "Japanese knotweed" out there.
Happy 2017 season!
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I just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming.
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109
More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading
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I just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming.
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109
More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading
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On 7/18/2016 at 11:09 AM, A.Spenski said:
I'm also currently working on a "Stamp of Recognition" program that our CISMA will give out to companies committed to using less, or no, invasive species in their landscape designs. You could do something like a seal of approval of contractors that you find that ARE capable of treating JK well.
This is something that I think ALL of the CISMAs need to be working on for Japanese knotweed (and others, but JKW is my baby), and one that works across all of Michigan. City of Kalamazoo hired a contractor from Ann Arbor to do some roadwork that went right up next to a big patch of knotweed and fortunately COK had my info in time to warn them. But there would be nothing lost to getting a "stamp of recognition" program functioning before the coming panic hits. These companies need training, and the public needs to know who they can turn to to protect them from knotweed contamination.
I also just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming.
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109
More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading
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I'm going to be giving a talk about how world governments are handling Japanese Knotweed and passing on recommendations for prevention here in Michigan.
I'm wondering if any of you can tell me about any interactions you've had with local municipalities. Are they curious? Resistant? Concerned?
Many of the people I talk to don't realize it can and will damage City Infrastructure, so they are taken aback.
I'm also going to be working on a talk about how Japanese knotweed can be the perfect vehicle for Conservation Districts and CISMAS to make contact with municipalities, showing them you're there for them, and teaching people the general basics of ALL Invasive Species. ("Right plant, right place... etc)
Any experiences, advice, and insight is welcome!
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And here's a pic of small pieces sprouting. Someone in an alley chopped it all up and then put soil over it, hoping it would die. Ha!
It didn't die.
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Where were your pictures taken?
here's an odd trait I've been finding that I'm curious about. Long, almost diamond shaped leaves turn up on almost all the bigger stands I find.
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OMG THANK YOU!
here's some growing through parking lots and sidewalks in Kalamazoo!
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The link didn't take me anywhere, but I am interested.
The latest I've heard is that glyphosate actually INCREASES/stimulates growth, and so does cutting or digging.
This plant also can "play dead" when cut/poisoned, focusing it's growth underground to try to "run away" from the attack.
I have also heard that eradication is not possible, so the focus is on control. My awareness focus is on PREVENTION since... as they say... "A stitch in time saves nine". Municipalities are unknowingly spreading it in fill dirt and soil moving for construction. Illegal dumping is spreading it to wild spaces. It's a real problem and we have to act NOW to prevent what's happening in the UK.
Japanese Knotweed Season 2017
in Terrestrial Invasive Species
Posted
and then it started running...