by Stuart Brabbs | Aug 2, 2013 | Invasives
ART has now resurveyed the River Doon and are preparing maps to illustrate the reduction in Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam along the length of the river. Both species have reduced since we commenced control in 2010 so all in all a good result but we...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 24, 2013 | General, Invasives
There is a new CIRB project tender available for contractors to download. Tender 15. Japanese Knotweed control on the River Doon Contractors can now download the tender and guidance notes, deadline for submissions is Friday 2nd August at 5pm by hard copy only. CIRB...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 24, 2013 | Conservation
The Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group was established in 2002 with the aim of conserving red squirrels throughout Ayrshire. As part of this aim, the group has secured funds to deliver a red squirrel conservation project in the Carrick area of South Ayrshire. The programme...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 20, 2013 | Conservation, Invasives
Gordon spied this Giant Hogweed plant in an almost inaccessible location. I say ‘almost inaccessible’ because without climbing experience I think it would be impossible to deal with this solitary invader. But of course, neither Gordon nor I are equipped or...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 20, 2013 | Electrofishing, fishing
It has been well reported in the past years that the River Ayr salmon stocks aren’t what they should be so in order to assess the productivity in the good areas, we have been revisiting some established sites that haven’t been surveyed for some time and...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 19, 2013 | Conservation, General
After picking Emma up this afternoon from a sweltering day surveying for invasive weeds, I popped over to Irvine to have a look at work on the weir not far upstream from the estuary. The council have opened the gates on the weir to lower the water level behind the...