Eco-friendly solution seeks to eliminate knotweed safely - Inishowen environmental group says

A new eco-friendly treatment to help eliminate Japanese Knotweed will avoid the use of harsh chemicals when dealing with invasive plants in Inishowen, an environmental group has said.

At a recent workshop of the Eco Carn Network and Inishowen Rivers Trust in Carndonagh, reps introduced a new natural solution that is effective against eliminating and reducing the growth of Japanese Knotweed.

Currently this invasive is being treated widely with chemical herbicides which does control the growth of Japanese Knotweed however it also affects all the other plants and wildlife in the vicinity of the spraying and eventually ends up in our drinking water.

As an alternative to chemicals, KPM Soils, based in Carndonagh, have developed an environmentally safe solution through composting called KNOT [Knotweed Novel Organic Treatment]

Kevin Moore of KPM Soils carried out a demonstration at last week’s workshop in Carndonagh outlining how the eco-friendly solution is made and discussed the outcomes of a small trial carried out last year.

At the workshop on August 10, Kevin applied this treatment to the Japanese Knotweed opposite the Inishowen Co-Op in Carndonagh. It will take around six weeks for the effects of the treatment to be visible on the plant.

At the workshop, Dr Trish Murphy, project officer with Inishowen Rivers Trust, highlighted the areas around the peninsula where Japanese Knotweed is most prevalent. She also gave an overview to the top three invasive species which are impacting Carndonagh and Inishowen as a whole.

Previously the ECO Carn Network, which is a collaborative network of community organisations, supported by Inishowen Development Partnership and Inishowen Rivers Trust, held balsam bashing events along the Donagh River.

Residents and visitors to Carndonagh should look out for ECO Carn signage which will be installed around the Carndonagh area in the next few weeks - raising awareness on the issues around invasives and what the community can do to help.

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact rachel@inishowen.ie, ECO Carn https://www.facebook.com/EcoCarndonagh/ or for information on the KNOT treatment for Japanese Knotweed, please contact KPM Soils at kpmsoils@gmail.com or through their social media pages.