Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Don't give up - we did manage to get rid of floating pennywort from Exminster Marshes (part of Exe Estuary SSSI and SPA) after several years of hard work. on 10 May 2019. https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2019/05/10/a-united-front-against-floating-pennywort-a-new-way-to-tackle-an-invasive-species-in-the-colne-valley/. Good quality close-up photos would help others to identify this plant elsewhere. on 21 May 2019, You can find ID sheets for all invasive non-native species at the GB non-native species secretariat website Grantchester Mill September 2017, before clearance. Environment Agency (EA) - The EA is under no obligation to remove Floating Pennywort, but they do have discretion to do so. Make sure you remove every last piece. The Environment Agency is under no obligation to remove floating pennywort. We’d like to thank our partner organisations, local communities, and especially the dedicated volunteers who go out of their way to help with removing the weed. The project had: The spokesman added: “Rather than try to remove the plant it is important to report any sightings of floating pennywort to the Environment Agency via our free ‘Plant Tracker App’ or by calling our national customer contact centre on 03708 506506. By working together we can reduce this highly invasive plant’s impact and improve the … Mike Foley If we all do our parts, we can help protect our natural environment for people and wildlife into the future. Although the EA website is grandiose, it is very lacking in defined information to allow one to drill down to a responsible person in any particular field or location. Become a Supporter. It can become so prolific that boaters, anglers and others can’t use the waterway, and it even clogs sluices, weirs and drains, potentially increasing flood risk. Map of floating pennywort presence in the Middle to Lower Thames Environment Agency Operations Field Team removing floating pennywort from the River Thames … all the way up to Chesterfield to try to find the source of the infestation. on 11 February 2020. During 2010 the Environment Agency has employed a contractor to spray with herbicide any Floating Pennywort colonies found from the Rother all the way down the Don and South Yorkshire Navigation to Crimpsall (Doncaster prison) (twice). exchange Floating pennywort, or to release it into the environment. On the Great Ouse, teams with weedboats are harvesting and removing the pennywort onto the banks, where it can compost down safely and naturally. We also manage flood risk and encourage sustainable development. This blog gives an insight into our work. Together, we agreed a 2-year project to test out a new approach – to co-ordinate people across the catchment to remove floating pennywort, wherever and whenever it rears its pretty head. The £10,000 fund forms an integral part of the Lower Colne Floating Pennywort project, which is overseen by Groundwork South and the Environment Agency. The teams have also tackled 50 new patches that appeared this year on the River Witham between Lincoln and Chapel Hill. For the Cam we have a local coordinator who is part of the EA's team achieving Water Framework Directive objectives through local projects. Paul Separovic, team leader at the Environment Agency said: Floating pennywort can cause damage to our natural habitat, threaten our native ecology, and prevent people from enjoying pastimes that bring them closer to nature, like fishing, boating and canoeing. This was then followed up with removal of any remaining plants by hand. One species we’ve had some great success with is floating pennywort. St Ives; Latest from Hunts Post. The spokesman added: “Rather than try to remove the plant it is important to report any sightings of floating pennywort to the Environment Agency via our free ‘Plant Tracker App’ or by calling our national customer contact centre on 03708 506506. We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV.UK. For more information go to Nipping Floating Pennywort in the bud! It also increases the flood risk. As part of the annual maintenance programme, the Environment Agency has been managing floating pennywort for several years in locations such as the River Wey and the Foudry Brook. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Learn more about invasive species – and how you can help stop the spread – on the Non-native Species Secretariat’s website. In 2012, the Environment Agency cleared 4km of the plant from the River Colne. To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Since 2018, large mats only proliferate downstream of Bottisham Lock, beyond the stretch for which the Cam Conservators are responsible and Cam Valley Forum volunteers operate. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/index.cfm?sectionid=47, Comment by Similarly, the Environment Agency has no duty to remove it. I see there is a list of coordinators at a more regional level https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/map-of-water-management-catchments These people would help to point in the right direction. Alan has developed and implemented a combined manual and chemical approach to tackle this species from its source in Sutton, and work until it is out of the river in Wandsworth. Look out for pictures on social media. A new population can quickly become established from a single fragment drifting downstream, soon dominating the waterbody with a dense raft of vegetation. As a result, small fragments of the plant were not removed and the plant regrows. It grows very rapidly in late summer, up to 20cm per day, and is responsible for swamping waterways, blocking water flow, crowding out native plants and taking oxygen from fish and insects. Sadly, 2017 and 2018 saw parts of the River Colne engulfed by rafts of Floating Pennywort. Dave Willis, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency is excited to be working together with volunteers from a range of organisations who play a key role in the surveillance and management of floating pennywort. ontact the Environment Agency (England and Wales) or SEPA (Scotland) for advice on disposal. Comment by The Environment Agency has been removing floating pennywort, an invasive species, from rivers Not all greenery is festive – that’s the reminder from the Environment Agency … The plant is notoriously difficult to control – it can grow up to 25cm a day in the right conditions and even a small fragment can re-grow into a new plant. There is no legal obligation for riverside landowners to remove Floating Pennywort (unless they are responsible for introducing it). Environment Agency officers’ long-term plan of attack involves working methodically down the rivers to clear the weed, and revisiting and double-checking previously cleared stretches. The Thames Floating Pennywort Action Group is a team of Environment Agency staff from across our organisation that you have probably never heard of. Look at the plant tracker website or download the app at www.planttracker.org.uk You can also report sightings using the plant tracker app. But the Environment Agency is continuing to battle the weed this winter. If you find floating pennywort on a watercourse please note the location and report it to your local Environment Agency Office. Reminder issued after EA removes 1,000 tonnes of the invasive species from the Anglian region’s rivers, The Environment Agency has been removing floating pennywort, an invasive species, from rivers. Workshops are essential for fostering skills among local communities dealing with something like Floating Pennywort. Total eradication is probably impossible – but we still have plenty of unaffected watercourses and wetlands that we should fervently protect. The Environment Agency’s work helps to protect and improve the environment. posted on Hi Alan Floating pennywort was first naturalised in 1990 as a result of discarded plants from garden ponds and has now spread to hundreds of water bodies throughout England and Wales, although it was banned from sale in 2014. This discretion can be exercised via statutory powers under s165 of the Water Resources Act to carry out flood risk management works. That’s why we’re reminding people to help us stop the spread of this aquatic invader – make sure to check, clean and dry your clothes and equipment thoroughly after being in the water, and report sightings to us on 0800 80 70 60. Top tips for preventing the spread of floating pennywort: Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Comment by Click here for Pennywort Resources. We have a record of our experience in our blogs at https://camvalleyforum.uk/. The project was awarded £4,385 from Cambridge Water’s PEBBLE grant and was also funded and supported by eight other organisations, including the Environment Agency. Hartford church organ appeal hits right note . ALAN CLARKE posted on Mike Foley posted on We enlisted volunteers to map out where floating pennywort currently is in the river network.  And we now have the Lower Colne Floating Pennywort Management Plan – our plan of attack to fight the floating menace! As we continue to learn how best to reduce the range of Floating Pennywort in the Colne Valley, we will apply what we learn and make sure this is widely shared, both within the catchment community and with other communities elsewhere who could also benefit. This makes it difficult to punt or canoe up the river, out-competes native species and deoxygenates the water, killing fish. Description: Floating pennywort resembles a very large, robust version of the native Irish marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris L.). Floating Pennywort is an invasive plant that is choking our rivers, streams and canals. A multi organisation group includes input from The Blackwater Valley Partnership, the Environment Agency, Thames Water, the Loddon Catchment Partnership, the Loddon Fisheries Consultative plus the owners of the various affected sites. Find out more. In this partnership, ColneCAN manage the project, using its strong local base to draw in support and engage with the public, landowners and other stakeholders. We find that if we don't deal with these outbreaks promptly break-off strands drifting downstream cause new growth. Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) is native to North America. Floating pennywort forms dense mats that can affect oxygen levels in the water, crowd and kill off native wildlife, and damage habitat. on 02 September 2020. entre for Ecology & … Unfortunately you can hardly go a few yards along the Cam downstream of Cambridge without encountering yet another large Pennywort mat. Spreading itself across our waterways like a lush green carpet is one of nature’s enemies, growing up to 20cm a day and suffocating native plants and fish. We had previously suceessfully eradicated Floating Pennywort from the Upper Cam (see blog posts from 2017-19) so we were very concerned when we were notified on 11 March 2020 by the Environment Agency that they’d received a new report of Floating Pennywort on Shelford Stream; a small chalk stream watercourse that flows into Hobsons Conduit, then the Cambridge Botanic Garden and the … Tags. Good luck! Contact the Environment Agency to speak to a specialist. on 20 May 2019. Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) arrived in the upper Cam in about 2012, completely covering it fo r months in 2016. posted on posted on Paul Separovic, team leader at the Environment Agency said: Floating pennywort can cause damage to our natural habitat, threaten our native ecology, and prevent people from enjoying pastimes that bring them closer to nature, like fishing, boating and canoeing. Comment by AndyB Floating Pennywort has been found present at four sites around Yateley and efforts are underway to prevent it becoming established in the River Blackwater. A key challenge is that no one organisation or landowner bears responsibility for tackling non-native invasive species. Riparian owners are also not obliged to remove it, unless it can be shown that they planted it, though if it is on their land they do have a duty to take reasonable action to ensure it does not cause damage to neighbouring properties. By submitting a comment you understand it may be published on this public website. “The Environment Agency is excited to be working together with volunteers from a range of organisations who play a key role in the surveillance and management of floating pennywort. Over the next few weeks the EA is also surveying the Rother (by canoe!) We only ask for your email address so we know you're a real person, Join our amazing field operations team in Yorkshire, Improving the water environment in the north-western Lake District and Cumbria, http://www.nonnativespecies.org/index.cfm?sectionid=47, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/map-of-water-management-catchments. It can be used to identify Floating Pennywart. It’s part of a sustained attack on the non-native species this winter that sees the EA working with partners, contractors, local communities and volunteer groups to clear the plant – even by hand, when necessary. For our part, the Environment Agency will continue to provide technical support and advice on environmental best practice. Paul Separovic, team leader at the Environment Agency, said: “Floating pennywort can cause damage to our natural habitat, threaten our native ecology, and prevent people from enjoying pastimes that bring them closer to nature, like fishing, boating and canoeing. However, we do have discretion to remove it under our statutory powers. This aquatic invasive plant can be found along the river from Carshalton to Wandworth. posted on The battle against Pennywort on the Cam above Cambridge is so close to being won, but a very small number of strands mysteriously still appear and we cannot be complacent. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve government services. Introduced in the 1980s as an ornamental aquatic plant, Floating Pennywort’s pretty appearance belies its aggressively invasive nature. If a quick internet search for Floating Pennywort tells you anything, it’s that this fast-growing non-native species is of increasing concern in the UK. We formed a project steering group of local stakeholders, which includes Hillingdon council, the Canal & River Trust, and Colne Valley Fisheries Consultative. Image (c) Environment Agency. Comment by Identification throughout the year Varies little throughout theyear, although in the winter it is most likely to be found at the water’s edge. Emailing us: enquiries_THM@environment-agency.gov.uk Not sure if it is floating pennywort? The project began in 2018 which saw the creation of the Colne Floating Pennywort Management Plan. Floating Pennywort is notoriously difficult to control and despite many small-scale management efforts, removal has been unsuccessful as projects have not been undertaken on a large enough scale, or for a long enough duration. This aquatic invasive can grow up to 20 cm a day producing 70 kg of wet weight per square metre. Learning lessons in the Lower Colne catchment. Shiny, kidney-shaped leaves with crinkled edge, frequently broader than long . RiverCare might be able to provide guidance as they sometimes work alongside the EA on Pennywort. Environment Agency - Tel: 08708 506 506 www.environment-agency.gov.uk Scottish Environment Protection Agency Tel : 01786 457 700 www.sepa.org.uk Floating pennywort of vegetation, with stem growth rates of up to Further information may also be found on the 20cm per day. Mike Williams With Covid-19 restrictions in force, one punting company didn't open for business and a mat started up out of sight of the public. on 21 October 2020. It is a creeping, stoloniferous, perennial aquatic plant, with floating or emergent leaves arising from nodes on its stem which also produce a profusion of fine roots. Floating pennywort, originally from America, is an invasive plant that arrived in the UK in the late 80s and has since caused havoc in the environment. Please read our privacy notice to see how the GOV.UK blogging platform handles your information. We approached Groundwork South, the driving force behind the Colne Catchment partnership, ColneCAN. Sources of advice on identification and control of Floating Pennywort are available elsewhere. These habitat refuges were protected from Pennywort on the upstream side, using prototype booms installed by Cambridge Canoe Club. Removal efforts will continue into the spring, and the Environment Agency is appealing to anglers, boaters and others who spend time on or near the water to report any patches they see – and to take precautions to avoid spreading it. A spokesman for the Environment Agency said there was a historic problem of pennywort in the River Cam. You can change your cookie settings at any time. More than 500 tonnes were removed from the Bedford Ouse, 400 tonnes from the River Cam, and 200 tonnes from the Ely Ouse. Tony Jackson Removing floating pennywort Many Hands Make Light Work It’s not just the Environment Agency that has been involved in trying to eradicate this problem. But it’s a bit like dealing with litter; we can all play a part in disposing of it properly and tidying up, even where it’s not our fault. Staff from the Environment Agency cut reeds and removed the floating pennywort from the river itself using work boats. Hi Tony posted on We find that in stretches with deep silt and poor bank access, canoes are indispensible for both taking out mats and for seek and destroy missions. In a river catchment to the west of London’s outskirts, Floating Pennywort has steadily expanded its range. Well enough, but how does one find a contact point for a real person in the EA to discuss the practicalities of pennywort removal by a voluntary group? In 2012, the Environment Agency cleared 4km of the plant from the River Colne. Comment by Preventing the Spread of Floating Pennywort Next month, June 2019, sees the project’s first work parties, where partners and volunteers will clear mats of Floating Pennywort from the river network. Not all greenery is festive – that’s the reminder from the Environment Agency this Christmas, after teams have removed more than 1,000 tonnes of highly-invasive floating pennywort from river networks in the Anglian region. Comment by We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Invasive species week: Floating pennywort a spreading menace, Keep an eye out for floating pennywort this winter, Weeding out non-native invasive species in Cambridgeshire, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Transparency and freedom of information releases, Check yourself, your clothing, and any equipment that has been on or in the water, Thoroughly clean and remove any suspected specimens, leaving them at the site where they came from – preferably out of the water and on the banks, Report sightings to the Environment Agency’s 24/7 hotline: 0800 80 70 60, Dry your equipment thoroughly and well before re-launching it or using it again. We knew that something different – something wider-reaching and sustainable – had to be attempted if we were to avoid repeating the cycle. Floating pennywort, copyright GBNNS This highly invasive plant is a real problem for our waterways. Volunteers from local fishing, canoeing and boating groups are also chipping in by removing rafts of the weed with their hands, nets and bin bags. In a river catchment to the west of London’s outskirts, Floating Pennywort has steadily expanded its range. As well as advancing the frontline, the teams also tidy up riverbanks so there’s less for the floating pennywort to cling to, which will help reduce its spread. on 18 October 2020. But without catchment-wide ongoing management, the problem returned. Introduced widely across Europe as an ornamental pond species, pennywort has now become established in the wild with serious economic and ecological consequences. We started off by contacting our local EA biodiversity specialist. The Lower Colne Catchment Floating Pennywort Management CVFC Plan is a two-year pilot project that aims to use a collaborative approach in … This newspaper has been a central part of community life for many years. 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