Action plan to fight invading plants

More than 20 people attended a public meeting in Springfield recently to address the growing issue of alien species such as Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam in watercourses across the area.
And representatives from the Galloway Fisheries Trust also gave a presentation and shared information with interested parties.
Annandale East and Eskdale councillor Denis Male, who has been monitoring the situation on the banks of the River Esk since last summer, said: “We are planning to produce leaflets with information on the invasive plant species that will be distributed on both sides of the border and we are going to have another meeting in August. We need to raise public awareness of these plants so we can help to kill them.
“Following a similar meeting in Langholm there are a number of people who have been trained to spray the Japanese and giant hogweed but we need more volunteers to pull out the Himalayan balsam.
“Actions have already started in the Esk but we need to see if Dumfries and Galloway Council will support these moves financially as it’s a whole Dumfries and Galloway problem and we need all the help we can get.”