Spot the Giant Hogweed
From far away, hard to spot as anything but another weed in Spring.
From close up it begins to look more sinister to the specialists.
How to Identify Giant Hogweed-
- Hogweed can be distinguished from common hogweed and cow parsley by its characteristic size. Its leaves can grow to 1.5m across and have a rough edged spikey appearance.
- Stems are green with dark-red or purple blotches (like the photo above), are hollow can be up to 100mm across and up to 5m tall.
- In mid-summer Giant Hogweed plants produce large white umbrella-like flower heads up to 500mm across.
If you find any age of Giant Hogweed (or suspected Giant Hogweed), the safest course of action is to contact a contractor who deals with Invasive Species Treatment. To find out why you should, check our web-site here, where we have more information on the Whats and the Whys.
Fortunately Fife has many other beautiful shorelines to walk along.
A big landmark for the UK, a big landmark for Scotland (and a relieved Accountant in our office who nearly bought a house on the former MOD land at Dalgety Bay until the boss told her about the radiation).
The environmental industry, particularly in Scotland, has know about the radiation at Dalgety Bay for many years. In 2011 the first real acknowlegment was made by SEPA that action needed to be taken and this year SEPA have agreed and published the MODs Dalgety Bay Investigation Plan. The aims of the investigation, which has a May 2013 deadline, include the following-
- how/why the contamination got there
- sources of contamination
- the hazards contamination pose
- assessment of an action plan to give remedial options
- the impacts the remediation options pose (e.g. shoreline erosion)
An article in The Courier in March 2012 reported that an analysis of radiation related cancer in the Dalgety Bay area from 2000-2009 showed no significant deviation from those in other areas of the UK. Good news for now however natural processes including coastal erosion and weathering are unearthing increasing levels of radiation.
You can find the ‘driver’ behind the assessment and clean-up process, the Radioactive Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance (April 2012), by clicking here. Scotland have their own guidance in support of Part IIa, some of the Socttish guidance can be found by clicking here.
We’re glad that progress is being made, I am interested to know if they will report other contaminants of concern which are often associated with MOD sites where fuels have been stored.
