Sir, – We are three first-year students from Sacred Heart Secondary School, Clonakilty. Over the past three months we have been working on a project to study the extent and effects of Japanese knotweed in west Cork. Our initial findings are both interesting but also very concerning and we have become increasingly aware of the harmful impact of this plant.
Japanese knotweed is a large invasive plant that was introduced to Ireland in the 1800s. It is a very robust plant and is outcompeting many of our native hedgerow and woodland plants. The plant roots can spread underground and can penetrate concrete foundations and asphalt roads.
Once this plant takes hold it has resulted, in many cases, in concrete floors and walls being eroded to the extent that they need to be demolished, with the area then cleared of the plant before any rebuilding can be done. In England, for example, banks and building societies will refuse to provide mortgages to properties where Japanese knotweed is growing on or near the property.
In Ireland, however, most of us are not yet aware of how serious the impact of this plant can be but unfortunately it is thriving in our climate and is becoming more and more common in west Cork, as our study has shown.
The other big concern is that where people are aware of the potential damage that this plant can do, they mistakenly think that cutting it down will deal with the problem. Unfortunately, as tiny pieces of the plant allow it take root again, this approach only leads to the plant spreading to wider areas and, given its ability to dominate other local plants, this result in the plant actually spreading even more. The most effective way to control its spreading is to spray it.
Our main message is that this is potentially a very harmful plant and if people see it in or close to their property, they should consult the knotweedsurvey.ie website. – Yours, etc,
ANNA FLYNN,
ANNIE CONDON,
KATELYN DINNEEN,
Sacred Heart
Secondary School,
Clonakilty,
Co Cork.