PROJECT EXAMPLE: SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL
Surrey County Council switch contractors to deal with the Japanese knotweed problem across the County
Surrey is the 12th most populous English county with about 1.2 million people. It has the highest proportion of woodland of counties in England. It has four horse racing courses, and golf courses including the international competition venue at Wentworth.
Surrey County Council contacted Japanese Knotweed Ltd (JKL) and two other knotweed companies in 2020 explaining they had 15 knotweed-affected sites across the county they had been treating via a subcontracting agreement with mixed success. They felt it was time to transfer the management and control of the knotweed to a PCA accredited company, such as JKL.
JKL reviewed the current treatment status of each site, our CSJK qualified surveyors inspected the 15 locations finding nearly 5,500m2 of Japanese knotweed. We submitted pricing and treatment programme schedules along with advice for other invasive weeds we identified. A survey report, site plan and photographic record of the inspection was provided separately for each location. We were pleased to be informed we were successful and treatment across the sites commenced the following month.
JKL is delivering 5-year treatment herbicide knotweed management plans to each of the sites, and we have been subsequently contracted to provide treatment at a further six sites.
JKL’s Area Technicians undertake herbicide application works and are NPTC PA1, PA6, PA6AW qualified and PCA Qualified Technicians in Japanese knotweed. For each visit, Surrey County Council automatically receives an electronic Service Visit Record, generated by our Area Technician, detailing work undertaken, progress of treatment and a picture of the treatment area.
Herbicide works are undertaken to ensure maximum damage to the target plant while avoiding damage to any non-target plants. Folia Spraying, Stem Injection and Leaf Wiping are all methods of treatment undertaken to treat invasive plants. Where the application of herbicide takes place on or near water the company applies for and obtains a license to discharge herbicide from the Environment Agency.