Ragwort

[artemis]

Has anyone noticed the amount of ragwort at the sides of the roads on the verges? Does anyone think if notifying DEFRA & the local authorities of their responsibilities would help? :D

[becs]

Telepathic! I've been moaning about this a lot to my OH recently - as we drive round East Anglia, there's tons on verges / roundabouts. I'm amazed that we are held by law to sort it out on our land but they seem exempt! - I was wondering whether to post the same myself.

But I gloomily wonder whether, to take serious action, we would have to take the local authorities to court one by one - not an appealing task. Perhaps a threat (letter) or publicity would be enough?

Are many species exclusively dependant on it? Would they have an eco-reason for their inaction?? I've seen stripey caterpillars on ragwort but that doesn't mean they can't live off other weeds too.

[eventerbabe]

Has anyone noticed the amount of ragwort at the sides of the roads on the verges? Does anyone think if notifying DEFRA & the local authorities of their responsibilities would help? :D
a local yard near me was reported a few years back and ordered to clean up their act. its certainly worth reporting. i remember reading that now you have to dispose of ragwort on grazing land. the yard by me got into very hot water for the mess their fields were in. found this link that might be of help to you
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/weedsact/default.htm

[Bozzy]

I was just yesterday moaning to OH about the amount of ragwort on the verges etc.

The local common literally has crops of the stuff growing on it and the verges nearby are covered. Plus there are cows grazing in it. I think the council actually own the land so was considering writing them an email.

[Jessey]

I have to agree, where we are it terrible. I also noticed that there was far more ragwort in our fields than last year (even though we pulled it by the roots and burned it last year) are these untreated verges and other adjoining land be making our fields worse, probably.

What does the act state? is it just grazing land that has to be cleared each year or is it all land?

J x

[eventerbabe]

The new Ragwort Control Act amends the Weeds Act 1959 and provides specifically for more effective management of ragwort, a poisonous weed which is responsible every year for the deaths and illness of many horses and other livestock. It enables the Secretary of State, or National Assembly for Wales, as appropriate, to make a Code of Practice for landowners and occupiers to prevent the spread of Ragwort. It will also assist landowners and others to strike the right balance between the protection of animal welfare and the need to preserve bio-diversity within the countryside. The Code will also be admissible in evidence if enforcement proceedings under the Weeds Act are necessary

Under the Weeds Act 1959 the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs can, if satisfied that injurious weeds are growing upon any land,
serve a notice requiring the occupier to take action to prevent the spread of those
weeds. An unreasonable failure to comply with a notice is an offence. The Weeds
Act applies to1:
• Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea);
• Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare);
• Creeping or Field Thistle (Cirisium arvense);
• Curled Dock (Rumex crispus);
• Broad-Leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius).
The Weeds Act 1959 enables Defra to investigate complaints where there is a risk
that injurious weeds might spread. Defra gives priority to investigating complaints
where there is a risk of weeds spreading to land used for grazing horses or
livestock, land used for forage production and other agricultural activities.
theres also a complaint form towards the bottom of the link i posted.

[Jessey]

Oh sorry, I just seemed to remember that there was an adjustment last year that stated that land with ragwort had to be treated 'at least once per year' to rid it but I couldn't see that on your link, maybe thats just what I thought they should do :D :rolleyes: :D .

Think I may be printing off that complaint form though.

J x

[artemis]

I am sure that the local authority is the ownner of grass verges. A few years ago I emailed the 3 near me & got 3 very different replies. Newcastle couldn't care less! Northumberland had no money to deal with it! Gateshead thanked me & asked for details :D
The law is much stronger now so I am going to try again. The more people that do it the more effective it could be.

You need to email the person who deals with environmental issues.

[Big Ears]

I am in the middle of a battle with this as there is a field with four donkeys in it full of ragwort. After much research the situation is:-

a)Ragwort Control Act 2003 essentially is only concerned with the spread of the weed into more fields not a welfare issue.

b) It is the responsiblity of the local authority/railways, National Trust, Forestry Commission, private landowners to prevent the spread of ragwort from their land onto other land

c) The Defra complaint form does not deal with ragwort in terms of horses grazing on it, but only if it is causing nuisance by spreading to adjoining land. I have not been able to use it for the welfare of the donkeys, but only to complain that there is a grass livery yard next door and it will become infested from the ragwort onthe land.

d)It is still not an offence to graze animals on land with ragwort

Defra has the discression, once the form is submitted, as to whether or not they take action against the landowner, or whoever is occupying the land. they are more likey to act where it is going to blow into arable or grazing land nearby which has livestock.

RSPCA say that they cannot do anything to remove the donkeys from the field as it is still not an offence to graze them there.

[becs]

that's amazing, Big Ears, how little the law helps with real life problems...

Will e-mail our LA to try to make a bit of difference here anyway.

Re donkeys' abuse/ neglect, have you tried ILPH? They were made aware of a similar case near here last year. Later the field was much improved (could have been coincidence though).

[Bozzy]

I have emailed our local authority but have yet to hear anything back. Doubt I will either.

[Big Ears]

We were involved in this under our involvement with Sussex Horse Rescue Trust. The Donkey Sanctuary are also involved as is the RSPCA. I doubt that ILPH can do anything we haven't tried.

I have done the Defra form to try to get it removed, and also alerted the police to the state of the fencing as the donks have been out on the road. As I am the person who goes to pick up loose animals if they get out again the one thing you can be sure of is that they won't be going back in the field....they will disappear to a place of safety and we can argue the toss later.

Sadly the animal welfare legisation as it currently stands is

You can graze a horse on an unfenced cliff
Until it falls over, there is no perceived hazard and therefore no action can be taken as the horse may not decide to jump
Once it has fallen over then you can do something about it

Daft. Ditto a horse has to be semi dead before you can legally remove it, you have to almost wait till it is in dire straight.

[Big Ears]

the local authority will probably do something as they are sensitive about being good citizens. the best thing is to provide locations where it is within 50 yards of crops or pony paddocks which will be contaminated, in which case you can use the Defra form to make a formal complaint. alternatively a good thing is to involve the local press.

[~Perdita.M~]

I was going to start a thread on ragwort, but don't want to waste space so can I ask a couple of questions in here please? :o :D

Anyone have any ideas on what kind of spraying you need to get rid of it? Who would be able to do it, what sort of product would be used, how far away any horses need to be, how long the area needs to be left before you can put horses back on it? Best time of year to spray, any idea of cost? Etc etc! Would the spray also get rid of other weeds such as thistle ( some other long brown stuff too, not sure what it is? ) ? Many thanks for any info! :)

[eventerbabe]

you don't spray ragwort, if you want to completely get rid of it you dig it out roots and all and burn it. ragforks are really good, will see if i can find a link to it. and remember to wear gloves when handling the stuff.

Here it is, http://www.ragfork.co.uk/

[~Perdita.M~]

Yep I have one of those, and that's what we're currently doing. But surely they don't go round with a fork and dig it up from the roadsides (when they get around to doing it :rolleyes: ) ? I thought you could spray large areas of it, if it was clear of horses? We have a few fields to use, and wondered if we could treat them for it seperately, leaving it, them moving horses again and so on? :)

[Pudding]

I'm in the middle of clearing a field with tons of the stuff..........ready for next year.......I buy Barrier H which you spray onto the flower heads and it stops them seeding, eventually working it's way down to the root system......it's effect is almost immediate and the flower heads die within an hour.....this product is natural and not harmful to yourself or animals.....

This way I know the damn stuff isn't going to seed while I'm using my ragfork to dig them up....it's very quick and efficient......

During winter when the weeds and long grass have died back, it's easy to spot the rosettes and a quick squirt with Barrier H will kill em off....once you get on top of it, it's pretty easy to keep it under control....

Hope that helps

[eventerbabe]

i've just found a mention of Barrier H! heres some bumf i found that might be of use :)

Long Term Methods/ Large Ragwort Infestation

Weed-killers

• A single application of weed-killer will not completely eliminate a ragwort infestation due to overlapping generations of the weed
• The time of year to apply the weedkiller depends on when ragwort is first noticed

1 Rosette stage first noticed in the spring, then first application should be late April or May.
2 Flowering stage first noticed then first application should be made in October before Frost damages the foliage

In either case the second application should be made late April the following calendar year.


• When to apply – in mild weather when the vegetation is dry and rain is not expected for at least five hours. To avoid wastage and drift spray on a calm day. All Paddocks should be sprayed at the same time to avoid infestation from adjoining paddocks.

• How to apply – Spot treatment using a knapsack sprayer or weed wiper using a brush, glove or stick with a ‘systemic total weed-killer’ is effective and least damaging to the environment. Or use a knapsack sprayer with a ‘selective weed-killer’. It should be remembered that selective weed-killers also control other broad-leaved plants, not just the ragwort and therefore leave areas of thin grass sward.


For advice on the choice of weed-killer and suitable application technique, seek advice from a BASIS trained agronomist by contacting your local agrochemical distributor (see Yellow Pages). Users must follow both product label advice and codes of practice to ensure that the product is used safely and effectively. Please note that two common label statements on the products likely to be used for ragwort are;-

• Exclude livestock from the treated area until specified
• Palatability of treated ragwort plants is increased therefore removal of all dead plants is essential


Alternative Herbicide

An alternative herbicide Barrier H (MAPP 10136) produced by Barrier Animal Healthcare, is natural and non-toxic and can be applied directly to ragwort all year round. Is has an advantage over other herbicides as animals only have to be excluded from grazing for two weeks. For advice on this herbicide contact Barrier Animal Healthcare, 36-37 Haverscroft Industrial Estate, New Road, Attleborough, Norfolk. NR17 1YE. Telephone 01953 456363

[Jessey]

Generally the only way to be sure with ragwort is to pull it and burn it, while it's alive it is not very palatable for horses but once dead they tend to be MORE likely to have a nibble, so even if you did spray it you would still need to go around and pull and burn, sorry for the bad news :o

J x

[Pudding]

I know but, I doubt very much if I could dig the stuff up before it starts to seed so this gives me a bit of time while I continue to dig it up.....if you see what I mean.......this is a newly acquired bit of land which has been left untended and I don't want the seeds blowing into my own field, so I blitz em first to stop the process....I have declared war on the yellow heads LOL

Believe me, I know about Ragwort, am practically obssessed by the stuff,was just pointing out that Barrier H is a very effective product, depending on your own paddock management regime........our summer paddocks arn't used in winter so spraying the rosettes in winter ensures that the whole thing will have disintegrated by the following summer............

And, they are in the process of getting it authority approved to deal with dock and nettles too........I've already tried it on nettles and they are dead in two to five days.....it's citronella based........

[sidesaddlelady1]

Locally we reported Ragwort on council-owned land to the said council, mentioning that they were responsible for enforcing the law. The gang were out the following day shifting it so it's definitely worth the effort

[sidesaddlelady1]

As the law stands in England it is the council's responsibility to enforce the law so a stern letter should be forthcoming. What a lot of people don't know is that the council have to reply in writing within a specific amount of time.

[artemis]

I have been battling with ragwort control for years. Next door neighbour used to just leave his :mad: I think I have shamed him into doing something - his fields look as though they have been treated this year :D

[~Perdita.M~]

Well, we've just emailed the local council to complain about it in our area on verges etc, and sourced our nearest supplier of Barrier -H. Sounds like it might help, along with digging and burning, on our land. Luckily we have enough to be able to move the horses around. If the council do something about it on the verges etc, we might get somewhere :rolleyes:

[martini55]

Funny that, we too seem to have ragwort absolutely everywhere this year (other than on the actual farm thankfully).

[artemis]

The more that people email their local authority, then whe have a chance of getting something done.