CONTROL OF INVASIVE SPECIES

There is a significant amount of information relating to non-native invasive species. The Environment Agency describes this as;

"animals and plants that have been introduced to a place where they do not naturally occur are known as non-native species. Many of these live happily in the UK without causing a problem but a few become what's called invasive.
Invasive species upset the balance of the ecosystem as they may be bigger, faster growing or more aggressive than the native species. They may also have fewer natural predators to control numbers. The native species are often unable to compete and fairly quickly the invasive species take over".

Sharp Environment offers a breadth of experience to managing problems associated with invasive species by helping you plan, develop projects, obtain funding to control/remove invasive species (if available e.g. the Woodland Improvement Grant for removing Rhododendron from woodlands in Cornwall and parts of Devon) and implement treatment/techniques for the removal of invasive plants.

This is an important service as invasive species represent a signigicant problem to landowners/managers (e.g. the physical environment such as structural damage to roads, houses and flood defences) and the natural environment where damage can be caused by smothering native plants and deprive wildlife of its natural food or habitat. Sharp Environment provides a service to work with you to control and manage invasive species on your property and reclaim areas of land. The service applies to individual private landowners (e.g. gardens/estates) and land owned/managed by private, public and voluntary organisations.

For example Sharp Environment has been involved in the removing areas of Rhododendron, which involves a couple of techniques from drilling and injecting Rhododendron through to clearing areas with chainsaws and burning because of the threat from Sudden Oak Death. Other projects include the spraying/injection of Japanese knotweed on private land to remove its threat to the physical environment.

Please do not hesiate to contact us for further information and/or discuss your requirements.