PROBLEM?
WHAT PROBLEM?
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HIGHLY EFFECTIVE - ECO-FRIENDLY - SIMPLE EQUIPMENT - MINIMUM WORKFORCE=1
BEST PRACTICE - NO MACHINERY - NO CHEMICALS - NO FIRES - LOW COST - FINAL!
THE PROBLEM
There are some 600 beautiful rhododendrons in cultivation, but one, Rhododendron ponticum, has escaped from estates and gardens and got thoroughly out of hand in the British countryside. It is now widely acknowledged to be an invasive species in common with Japanese knotweed, the signal crayfish, giant hogweed, American mink and a host of others posing a variety of threats. R. ponticum is a pest of particular concern in Western Scotland where some tracts of land have been completely taken over, at the expense of ancient woodland, forestry, river banks and croft inbye.
THE SOLUTION
Conventional methods of eradication are labour intensive, hazardous when herbicides are used and also - of particular concern in times of recession - very costly. After being dominated by Rhododendron ponticum, land recovery can be painfully slow. None of this need be so.
Gordon French and Donald Kennedy of Morvern Community Woodlands have devised a new method for the eradication of rhododendron that is already putting a stop to its relentless invasions of Morvern, Ardnamurchan and the wilderness of Knoydart.
"The best remedy we have got is our bodies. You can do it at far greater speed than using a chainsaw and chemicals are a mistake. Either way, the plant eventually recovers. Used in the right way levering rhododendrons apart is all you need. It's all about understanding the plant and exploiting its weaknesses." Gordon French.
LEVER and MULCH (L&M), as this revolutionary method is called, is quite simple, though those who use it require specific training before they can be effective L&M rhoddie bashers. L&M consists of systematically dismantling rhododendron bushes, using the plant's own stems as levers, and then covering the place they were growing with the remains - the brash - to exclude light and prevent re-growth. A little work with a hammer then and in the following season is all that's needed to finish the job. This method is as eco-friendly as it gets, and can be done by a single fit person using gloved hands, booted feet, body weight, hammer, saw, L&M specific skills and a hearty lunch.
NO SWEAT!
"The technique ... is described as being a cross between tai chi and karate. Supporters say it offers a cheap and effective method of battling an intractable enemy. Donald and Gordon carefully examine each rhododendron bush, work out the direction in which its stems are growing, before twisting their bodies around the plant and snapping it in exactly the right places. With minimal effort, the rhododendron is reduced to a pile of leafy waste. Within hours, the duo claim, whole swathes of the invader within woodlands can be destroyed while hardly breaking a sweat." Jenny Fyall, Scotland on Sunday 13 December 2009.
Lever and Mulch might look strenuous, but experienced practitioners don't need to break into a sweat. Once they have learned the structure of rhododendron bushes they can rapidly work out how to exploit their highly individual weaknesses. Push a stem in the right direction and, as long as it's not one of those annoying springy ones, it will quite easily snap away at the base, taking a segment of the budding zone with it.
This, plus judicious use of your hammer, is the secret of success with the Lever and Mulch method, A SECRET NO MORE.
L&M IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Soon we will be able to provide interested parties with a Lever and Mulch Handbook, Method Statement and Training so that they may put method into practice. Because knowing exactly how various rhododendron bushes 'work' (and, therefore, how best to dismantle them) and that there are safety measures that must be rigorously followed, it is recommended that a full programme of training should precede any attempt to begin rhododendron eradication using Lever and Mulch.
"There's an art to it, which Gordon and Donald can teach. Like a martial art, you have got to learn from a master." Robin Payne, Scottish Natural Heritage.
We are working hard to ensure that that Lever and Mulch will soon receive the attention it merits and that training and then nationwide action will follow, so that we can be rid of that deceptively beautiful vegetable thug Rhododendron ponticum.