Plants and Invasive Species

Plants and invasive species

While conducting surveys, such as preliminary ecological assessments and habitat surveys, our surveyors identify native and non-native plant species. Invasive species are also identified, and to protect indigenous species these should be removed or destroyed.

In Scotland, non-native invasive plant species include:

Japanese knotweed
(fallopia japonica)

Himalayan balsam
(impatiens glandulifera)

Giant hogweed
(heracleum mantegazzianum)

White butterbur
(petasites albus)

Rhododendron ponticum

invasive-giant-hogweed

There is legislation related to invasive non-native species (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011). It is designed to prevent the spread of non-native species of plants or animals into the wild. 

Under this legislation, it is an offence to:

  • release (accidently or on purpose) a non-native animal (e.g. grey squirrel, American mink etc) into the wild 
  • plant non-native plants in the wild (or release seeds etc)
  • allow non-native plants to spread into the wild (e.g. by allowing it spread from your land through inactivity, by dumping garden waste into the wild, by moving contaminated soil etc)

You can find further information on invasive species at https://www.invasivespecies.scot/law-non-native-species

During environmental walkovers and habitat surveys, we identify species of plants on your land, including non-native invasive species. Where invasive species are found we will prepare a management plan for the appropriate treatment and/or removal.

This includes treatment by spraying on site, or the safe removal and disposal of the infestation, in accordance with the legislation. We can obtain licences for this work on your behalf.

Our team includes trained herbicide operatives who are licensed to undertake spraying of invasive weeds.

If you need any advice on possible invasive species found on your land, please just give us a call.