We surveyed and treated an INNcredible 1200km of rivers across Yorkshire for invasive species in 2022!

Did you know in 2022, we surveyed and treated an INNcredible 1200km of rivers across Yorkshire for invasive species!

The RSC is working with the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water on a pioneering programme to deliver a Yorkshire-wide INNS management programme, surveying and treating Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed across the majority of the main rivers in Yorkshire.

Find out more about our invasive species management work and Yorkshire-wide INNS project for Invasive Species Week.

INNS or invasive non-native species compete with native plant species and can grow to overrun our waterways with devastating results for our river ecosystems, causing flooding, erosion, habitat loss and damage to the structural integrity of assets.

Here at the RSC, we continue to deliver our programme of works to control the spread of invasive species in order to protect the diversity of our native riparian plants.

Our team is specially trained to survey, advise and treat INNS such as Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Floating Pennywort, Himalayan Balsam and other invasive species. Our tailor-made ARC GIS mapping software allows us to track and record data, mapping sites for retreatment.

We can survey on foot, in the channel or via boat depending on the individual river and the local environment and have recently trialled the use of drones to survey large sections of river, using image recognition technology to pick out invasive weeds on riverbanks.