- Location
- fakenham-norfolk
It would seem that a (conservation group) is to seek to amend the above act to include thistles & docks as protected plants. The attacks on our current methods of food production are now targets for allcomers,what a mess !!
The 1959 Weeds Act
- Thread starter uztrac
- Start date
Shouldn't this be in the WTF thread? !!! It's not April 1st is it?
Last edited:
Courier
Member
- Location
- M62 - M1 - M18 triangle
Is that the same weeds act under which councils can be prosecuted for not controlling Ragwort ....
Goweresque
Member
- Location
- North Wilts
You don't get prosecuted, you get issued with compliance orders. I suppose if you refused to comply with one of those you could eventually be prosecuted for something, or Defra could get the work done at your expense maybe, I don't know if they have that power. But the usefulness of the Weeds Act is less its power over private individuals, rather a stick to compel large corporate and public bodies to act - they are unable to not comply with official compliance orders, so the existence of the Weeds Act give the private landowner some way of forcing the like of the Highways Agency, Network Rail, local councils etc to control ragwort particularly.
To be fair I doubt that anyone has ever been issued with a compliance order under the WA for docks and thistles - they can be controlled relatively easily with herbicides and while a pain are not poisonous, so the damage and danger to neighbouring land is not massive. Its for forcing people to control ragwort that we need the WA most for.
- Location
- fakenham-norfolk
I have gleaned some more info.
It is The Butterfly Conservation Trust. They have launched a petition on the government website that I understand is calling for certain weeds to be given protected plant status. As my informant advises they have already received around 10,000 signatures toward the 100k required .
The press release gives the impression that because of modern farming, docks, creeping thistle, spear thistle and ragwort are declining and endangered.
In reality, there is no doubt whatsoever that all of them are increasing, and it is only because of rosebay willow herb that they have not colonised the whole country.
In reality, there is no doubt whatsoever that all of them are increasing, and it is only because of rosebay willow herb that they have not colonised the whole country.