Past Plants, Future Flora (Medway INNS) Newsletter

The Past Plants, Future Flora project encourages an appreciation and understanding of plant life and our historical connection to plants and plant discovery whilst also raising awareness of and controlling harmful invasive non-native species.

After a hectic summer of Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam and Floating Pennywort control together with family fun events, data recording and delivering training etc...things have calmed down enough for us to finish our school pack, plan upcoming events and the final invasive plant control work for 2017.
Read on for some important information if you're a volunteer or relevant landowner and for general updates about the project. Thank you.

You'll recall from the last newsletter that we have produced a book called 'Our Riverbank' and this book highlights the issues around invasive plants but also celebrates the joy of connecting with nature on a local scale. The book is part of our School Pack and 20 packs will be given to local schools at the start of the new term. As well as the book, the pack contain a lesson plan about plant discovery and introduction, games and puzzles, identification sheets for Giant Hogweed and Himalayan balsam and a Field Study Council guide to local native plants which may be found in school grounds. The pack is designed to encourage outdoor learning and improve the identification skills of both native and non native plants as well as offering a different approach to learning about the invasive species which cause problems. If you are involved in a school and are interested in obtaining a pack please get in touch. MVCP can also run one to one sessions for schools (see last newsletter) on this and other topics.

The 'Our Riverbank' book will soon be for sale independently and any profits from sales will go back into the project. More info on this to follow in the next newsletter.

We have a small budget to support accredited training in countryside skills and, together with East Malling Research Centre (EMTC), we'd like to assist some landowners in taking the series of courses and assessments which will allow you to spray herbicide near water; Pa1/Pa6a/Pa6aw.
Many landowners who are linked to our invasive plant control scheme actually do their own control of plants and MVCP are more than supportive of this as we are an incredibly stretched small team and funding is always in question.
Grandfather rights no longer apply so you need the relevant qualifications (and permits) to carry out your own control near water. If you are a riparian landowner linked to the scheme and feel you could control the plants on your land if you had the relevant qualifications, then we may be able to assist you with pesticide training.
Courses are usually 3 days and upcoming dates at EMRC include;

20 - 25 Sept
18 - 20 Oct.
15-17 November
6-8 December

The Pa1/Pa6a/Pa6aw course costs £595. On a first come first served basis where funds allow MVCP are willing to pay for the £308 course fee if landowners can pay the registration and assessment fees of £287. For ease of booking and to ensure up to date info re' dates landowners need to contact EMRC directly to book on and pay for the course. Then, upon receiving proof of booking and course attendance, MVCP will reimburse the course fees*.

To book onto a course please contact Fran Gallwey at EMRC:
Fran@eastmallingtrust.org
01732 843833

Please let me know too if and when you book onto a course. Thank you.

*If you do not attend the course MVCP will not reimburse you the cost. After training landowners will be expected to carry out their own control on their land post successful course completion. MVCP will continue to oversee the catchment wide control of the Medway Catchment and will request proof of spraying work done.

On Tuesday 22nd August MVCP chaired the 3rd Invasive Species Forum. Members of the forum include other conservation groups and private companies carrying our similar work, government organisations such as CABI and the Environment Agency, utility companies such as Southern and Thames Water and others....
Like previous meetings, we all enjoyed indepth discussions about the issues and challenges of invasive plant control as well as looking to the future and discussing potential new methods and partnerships.
With assistance from the Environment Agency the forum was held at the DEFRA HQ in London. Thanks to all who attended and special thanks to the E.A for their assistance with booking our venue.

Please note that many Country Park Car Parks now operate on a reg photo recognition basis. Many volunteers have often avoided paying for parking by leaving a note in their windscreens stating that they are volunteering on site but with the new auto check such notes will no longer work. Please dont get a parking fine! MVCP have been able to request some past fines be cancelled but this might not always be the case. We have been able to get a few annual passes for volunteers but we can't give these out to all of you unfortunately.
However, we have arranged for you to get free parking for a given day by first calling 03000 411 811 in advance or, if at a park with a visitor centre, speak with a member of staff who will record your number plate. Bear in mind that this info relates to KCC parks such as Teston and Shorne etc but some parks are county council parks such as Haysden where different rules apply. If you wish to discuss any parking issues you may have please get in touch.

Thursday 26th October - Recipes, Remedies and Rituals
Haysden Country Park, Tonbridge. 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Learn all about ancient potions, floristic folklore and foraging as part of this guided walk. A family event with different elements for adults and for kids. Booking essential.

Thursday 7th December -
Pocock, Present Plants and Predictions -
Guildhall Museum, Rochester. 5.30pm - 9.30pm

Learn about local plant collector and botanist Robert Pocock and the recent project to digitalise his collection. Find out what plants are now growing where Pocock surveyed, learn about problem plants and hear professional predictions about the future of plant populations.
A must for anyone interested in natural history, botany, taxonomy and nature conservation.
Free but booking essential

Guest Speakers:
Malcolm Jennings - Robert Pocock Herbarium Project
Richard Moyse - Ranscombe Reserve Project Manager for Plantlife
Dr Mark Spencer - Botanist, Natural Historian and Curator
Andrea Griffiths - Invasive Non-Native Plant Control Project - Medway Catchment

Image below © Robert Pocock Herbarium Project

Like in 2016 near Yalding, our work in 2017 on the Hoo Peninsula in Medway to tackle Water Fern with North American Weevils has again proven to be a great success. The landowner in question has reported a fantastic reduction in the Water Fern on site in just a few short weeks of weevils being release. Go Weevils!

Japanese knotweed Work Underway
After a hectic summer of Giant Hogweed control there is no rest as we plough straight into our Japanese knotweed control for 2017. We do not treat all stands of Japanese knotweed but where funds allow and where stands of this hardy invasive may cause problems on a main river, we chemically control the plants when they are in flower and early senescence. Most plants have flowered early this year so MVCP and our contractor will be covering the pre-agreed areas of Japanese knotweed soon.

Following on from fascinating research conducted by CABI, MVCP are collecting seed from various locations of Himalayan Balsam plants at the moment. Seed will be sent to CABI for analysis as CABI have discovered that there are several different varieties of Balsam in this country. Seed analysis will hopefully tell us exactly what variety of balsam is growing at various local sites and with this data we can potentially proceed with biocontrol trials. Early days but watch this space.....

Past Plants, Future Flora (Medway Valley Invasive Species Project)
August 2017

PPFF and INNS School Pack

Pa1/Pa6a/Pa6aw (Pesticide) Training Opportunity

MVCP plan and chair 3rd South East INNS Forum

Volunteer Car Parking

Upcoming Events

In Brief