Earlier this year we were awarded £8000 by Tesco’s Bags of Help Fund to support Invasive Weeds control on the Girvan and Stinchar in 2017.

Through this project each catchment will be provided with tools, chemical, guidance and support from ART staff in the control of these plants. Each catchment will be provided with a bio security box that contains cleaning kits to decontaminate tools and PPE. This is critical in preventing the spread of water borne diseases, pathogens and invasive plants.

ART staff will resurvey each catchment identifying the worst affected areas allowing a targeted control regime to be implemented by volunteers and staff. ART staff will coordinate and work alongside volunteers to strim, pull and spray these plants.

We will very shortly be starting this project and the more volunteers who are willing to help the more successful this project will be. In the next month or so the Himalayan balsam will start to rear its head and will require control (e.g. pulling by hand, strimming and even spraying), we have the capacity within the project to hire a brushcutter to control the larger areas of balsam. If there is anyone in the Girvan and Stinchar areas that have brushcutter training and are willing to give up a bit of their time then please get in touch on 01292 737300 or email struan@ayrshireriverstrust.org

As the year progresses our attention will turn to the Japanese knotweed, and once again we will be looking for volunteers who have been trained in spraying and stem injection to help us deliver this portion of the project.