Five local authorities and Environment Agency Wales have been attempting to tackle the spread of the invasive Japanese Knotweed plant by using state of the art technology and digital mapping techniques.

The project (led by Caerphilly County Borough Council), focuses on the Heads of the Valleys area of the Valleys Regional Park which includes the Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen County Borough Councils.  The Agency played a key role by providing specialist advice, remote sensing and other essential information alongside information supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government. 

The project team used the information to identify the likely locations of high priority problem plants focussing initially on Japanese Knotweed. The technique could also be applied in other vegetation and habitat surveys.  

Councillor Ron Davies, Cabinet member for Regeneration & Countryside, commented:

“A wide range of organisations have responsibilities for dealing with invasive plants.  By working collaboratively, sharing information and pooling resources, the project partners have been able to develop digital maps showing the extent of Japanese Knotweed within the Valleys Regional Park area.

“This approach is an exciting step forward. We now have colour coded maps that will help quantify the size of the task and help us plan and manage our control work in a more effective and strategic manner.” 

Environment Agency Wales’ biodiversity policy advisor Nick Bialynicki-Birula said:

“Invasive plants cause physical problems through structural damage for example, but they also dramatically impact the biodiversity of an area.  Once introduced they spread rapidly at the expense of other plants and destroy vital habitats that our wildlife depends on. Controlling their spread is essential but can be costly.

“As well as the need to deal with these problem plants on inland areas, collective action to tackle invasive plants is a key activity under the Water Framework Directive which aims to improve Wales’ rivers for people and wildlife.  This is why we were pleased to support the project by supplying essential river corridor information.”

He added:

“The work is also an exciting step forward because the approach and techniques used by the partners can potentially be applied to other areas in Wales. We’re really pleased to have helped the project partners develop these maps and would like to work with other groups of Local Authorities in Wales in the same way.”

The Water Framework Directive sets new and more challenging standards for Wales’ rivers and other water bodies to benefit people and wildlife, placing greater emphasis on the ecological status of the water environment.