Pond owners urged to aid fightover waterway wrecking weeds

Fiona Evans

The latest stage of a campaign to stop weeds taking over major waterways in West and South Yorkshire has been launched.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government have launched the second phase of the Be Plant Wise campaign to raise awareness of the damage caused by invasive aquatic plants at a time when pond owners may be thinking about tidying their ponds ready for winter.

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The release of just a tiny fragment of plant can eventually choke an entire waterway, causing damage to the natural environment and costing millions.

Efforts to control the problem of floating pennywort in the River Calder in West Yorkshire and the River Don in South Yorkshire are being led by the Environment Agency.

Problem areas include the River Don at Sprotbrough, the Figure of Three Locks at Horbury on the Calder and Hebble Navigation, plus the Aire and Calder Navigation at Castleford.

Environment Agency biodiversity officer Andrew Virtue said: “We have carried out two courses of treatment on both the River Don and the River Calder this year – the first in June and the second in late September. The River Don has really improved and we are confident we are getting it under control. But the infestation in the River Calder is much more established and is likely to need more intensive treatment.

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“Floating pennywort forms a thick, interwoven mat over the surface of the water which breaks off in the winter and can then cause flooding problems by snagging on trees and blocking drainage channels, as well as out-competing native plant species. People can help by composting surplus pond plants rather than dumping them in wild ponds or watercourses.”

The Environment Agency estimate it spent 510,260 on controlling pennywort in 2009.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “It’s important we raise awareness and encourage pond owners to be more plant wise at this time of year when they are starting to think about tidying their ponds. Many retailers are already taking steps to ensure people know what they’re buying and advising customers on how to dispose of unwanted pond waste properly.”