Japanese knotweed was stabilising riverbank
It’s hard to believe that the nation’s most hated plant, Japanese knotweed, is actually helping keep parts of the Scotland together. It’s woody rhizome (underground stem) network helps bind embankments together and prevents them from eroding. If the Japanese knotweed is killed then there is a risk that the embankment will erode. As this picture shows, the riverbank in the foreground has eroded because the Japanese knotweed has been treated with herbicide. The knotweed on the island has not been treated and it is successfully growing in the middle of a fast flowing river in Aberdeen.
Some people may think that in cases such as this then it is best to let the Japanese knotweed grow to prevent losing valuable land. Wrong! It’s best to eradicate this non-native plant to prevent it easily spreading downstream and infesting other land. There are plenty of options available for stabilising riverbanks including planting native species such as willows.
For advice and assistance on Japanese knotweed eradication, engineering options for bank stabilisation and weed control services, please call Invasive Weeds Agency Ltd on 0131 441 2953.
IWA. Getting to the root of the problem.
