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The River Don Trust--Newsletters

Started by machar, November 26, 2010, 09:47:35 AM

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machar

A winter Newsletter of the River Don Trust's activities can be read here

http://www.riverdon.org.uk/FileLibrary/PDF%20Reports/trust%20newsletter%20nov%202010%20_2_.pdf

One of the items is particularly relevant today with American Signal crayfish being found in the River Kelvin for the first time

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-11840810

machar

The Spring edition of the River Don Trust Newsletter is now available to read here www.riverdon.org.uk . If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact the Trust biologist at jamie@riverdon.org.uk
Also available is a river Don stocking protacol which I hope you will also find interesting

Jamie

The Winter edition of the Newsletter is now available online please follow this link
http://www.riverdon.org.uk/FileLibrary/PDF%20Reports/trust%20newsletter%20Nov%202011.pdf
Best regards Jamie

machar

The July edition of the River Don Trust Newsletter can be read here

http://www. /pdfs/trust%20newsletter%20July%202012.pdf

We are very short on volunteers to continue and develop our programs, if you can spare some time and wish to help please contact Jamie at biologist@riverdon.org.uk, thanks

PS Our Trust vehicle died this week so if anyone has contacts for a small van or similar going cheap please contact me at iain@riverdon.or.uk

Wildfisher

#4
Quote from: machar on June 27, 2012, 09:11:10 PM
We are very short on volunteers to continue and develop our programs, if you can spare some time and wish to help please contact Jamie at biologist@riverdon.org.uk, thanks

Iain,

I have past experience spraying glyphosate  based weedkiller to control pernicious plants like hogweed, it's also safe to use near watercourses, but I really do wonder if this kind  of work might not be better carried out under some kind of structured and ongoing  plan of attack by professionals rather than by casual volunteers who may or may not turn up or be available when required.   

I had a walk along one short stretch at Kildrummy a week or so ago and frankly the place is a disaster area of giant hogweed that really needs tackled urgently.  I doubt  if the rest of the upper river is much better. This will take years of concerted effort to put right. The task is gargantuan and should not  be underestimated. It needs a structured approach.

That said I would be happy to give some time once my broken hand is better. I even have my own 10ltr knapsack sprayer.






hopper

Should all and sundry be allowed next to the water course with weed killer, and has anyone been on a spraying course. Any spraying should be done by contractors who have the proper licenses

machar

Thanks for the replies and the offers of of help they are much appreciated. In answer to some of the points raised, as is stated in the Newsletter article all volunteers, including myself,  involved in invasive plant control are trained and have attained  the required qualification necessary . This covers  all aspects of health and safety procedures and we are working within an agreed plan and we have the appropriate licences.  If any information is required on the plan or any aspect we would be happy to supply it.
The biggest factor this year has been the weather making the program difficult to manage unfortunately. The program varies according to the species, their  growth characteristics etc. The work is not only carried out by volunteers, who are under the supervision of our fully trained biologist Jamie, but by the staff of the Don Board when their other duties allow and we are very grateful for their assistance.
Surveys of the full extent of the problem with invasive species are ongoing especially at the top  of the river with a view to working our way down, we fully appreciate this is a big problem and expect to carrying out our program for three years at least, funding and other resources being available.
There are lots of other projects that we are involved in that require assistance and if any  training etc is  required then that would be provided, we would not ask otherwise. If you require more information please email Jamie at biologist@riverdon,org.uk Thanks for your interest. 

Regards
Iain

Wildfisher

#7
The wet weather is a problem Iain.  Glyphosate-based herbicides need to dry on the plant  after spraying as even a shower of rain will wash  much of it off. That and spraying until run-off wastes the product and wastes time and effort. This is one problem with relying on volunteers of course, having them available to be able to get the timing right. I would suggest that if the wet weather is continual, as looks likely, it would be a good idea to get a squad up there in July to chop off the umbels before seed can be set. This is  more dangerous work than spaying  and skin and eye protection should be used. It is nasty stuff.

The banks of the upper river have suffered much neglect, dumping of rocks and other rubbish by farmers,  and the physical effort and sheer distances that need to be covered on foot, carrying all that gear, should not be underestimated.  The Don is a very long river.  The task is colossal and frankly, I would be very surprised if there is  much cooperation forthcoming  from the various estates and farmers who own the banks. I do not envy your task having to organize and coordinate this.  Good luck and be sure the volunteers sign a disclaimer!     :D

I'll help if I can.

machar

Thanks for the reply Fred, Jamie will post further information shortly but we have been in touch with all the effected landowners and have been in touch with SEPA in a number of instances about unauthorised works etc and we are currently considering a  campaign, perhaps national? regarding this. I can assure you we do ask volunteers to sign disclaimers and full risk assessments are held. Thanks for the Forums continuing support.

Iain

Jamie

Dear all
May i just add to Iain's comments

The Trust has taken the approach of utilising volunteers to control invasive in order to secure funding for this novel approach, we were very keen to establish a group or river custodians with various skill sets and this we felt was a great opportunity to get people involved. It is difficult to source funding for contractors alone to control invasive plants and the Trust simple doesn't have the funds to pay for the control without external support. Several proprietors are undertaking their own control in conjunction with us and assisting where possible and using trained volunteers will enable the Trust to utilise their time to assist in the control whilst providing these volunteers with a recognised qualification.

The Strathdon to Alford control programme is a rolling programme phased over four years and working down the catchment, we are aware that the GH population is unlikely to be completely eradicated by this time due to the seed bank present, but with assistance from the Don District Fishery Board and by maintaining the volunteer group it is hoped that we will have a legacy of control for some years to 'mop up' the remainder, which we would not have with contractors alone.

As Iain has mentioned we have been unfortunate with the weather this season which has held us back. Set volunteer days have been restricted by this and the availability of volunteers. Our intention is to overcome this by having a larger pool of volunteers to draw from in the hope that a portion will be able to assist on any chosen day, hence the request for new volunteers.

Fred thanks for your suggestion of cutting the umbels off, whilst a potential technique is not one that the Trust i think could condone nor get volunteer to carry out safely, certainly not in the dense stands you've mentioned around Kildrummy. However it is a method which I will look into along with the disposal of this contaminated waste.
We will try and spray these areas assuming we have some decent weather days over the coming weeks. The Trust is looking to purchase an adjuvant a Codacide Wetter which 'sticks' the chemical to the plant and allows for shorter windows between dry periods which may help given our current weather patterns.

If you have any further queries or wish to volunteer for this or other Trust activities then please get in touch with me on
biologist@riverdon.org.uk. 
Best regards Jamie

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