IS and Japanese Knotweed....

At the risk of being called a "bitter racist bigot" like I was called not too long ago simply for commenting on the impact on the local populace of mass migration to Italy (Mr Peachy isn't the only one on here who jumps to the wrong conclusion) I would like to make an analogy regarding IS.

"You cannot kill an idea" is a valid point raised by those against bombing IS in Syria. However....

Take Japanese knotweed......

It grows insidiously and at great speed.
It is almost impossible to destroy.
It can cover huge swathes of land.
it destroys all plantlife in its path and, left unchecked can destroy buildings undermining foundations, drainage and power cables.
It kills virtually all other plants in its path.

The only way to reduce its impact and 'check' its progress is, unfortunately, drastic and results in considerable collateral damage in that innocent flowers, shrubs and native flora is often destroyed in the process.
Now whilst we cannot possibly compare human life and innocent civilians to flowers and shrubs the analogy holds true that if we sit and debate what to do, JK and IS grows stronger day by day. There will be pockets and 'homegrown' radical cells for years to come but if the main threat is reduced it enables security forces and intelligence to have additional funding and concentrate their resources on those cells.

We are literally fighting for our way of life here.

I personally think Corbyn is a sincere genuine man who is being crucified by the media and his words are being twisted by those with vested interests. However, I believe he is profoundly wrong. IS vows to destroy, not only those who are non-Muslim, but Muslims who do not follow their twisted ideology of what a Islam is.

In an ideal world, we should never have to resort to bombs and bullets especially when innocent people DO and WILL die as a result. However, we do not live in an ideal world. The enemy has no such scruples and, unless checked, it is only a matter of time before biological or chemical weapons fall into their hands.

Critics of military action on this BB blame the wars in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, even the unresolved Israeli/Palestinian situation as the root cause. Almost certainly they are right, but apart from the latter which is still on going, that is history and we cannot turn the clock back.

1930s Post WW1 and Churchill was accused of being a warmonger but was ultimately proved right. You cannot negotiate with violent Fascists and you certainly cannot negotiate with IS (even the Taliban stated that)

 

Don’t know where to start on this one.
But as a Professor of Botany - no Japanese knotweed does not destroy nearly every other plant in its path. There is evidence that invasive species have very little impact on the occurrence of rare species in the UK. Most introduced plants as most human immigrants make a very positive contribution to our environment. We have invasive native species such as bracken and gorse. Strange people don’t rant about them so much. Ever wondered why? Bracken is far more damaging that Japanese knotweed. Funny that.

 

This is much more interesting than using plants as a reason for war.

Rhododendrons (blanket cover in woodland cutting out the light and preventing seedlings growing) and Buddleja (damage to railway lines) are a big problem are they not? Or have I been misinformed? And while you're here, I heard that Japanese knotweed is edible, is that true?

As far as the analogy is concerned, I've read that if you hack a Japanese knotweed to bits, each of those bits are capable of germinating in to a new plant. Where you had one plant, you end up with many. This is actually how it spreads. Similarly, if you blow up a load of rebels, you end up with many more than you had in the first place, as each of our military campaigns in the middle east proves time and time again. Anyone remember how much trouble we used to have from terrorists who associate themselves with Islam before we went in to Iraq in 1991?

 

So the RHS is wrong then?...

"The problem



Japanese knotweed was introduced from Japan in 1825 as an ornamental plant. The plant is not unattractive but its rapid annual growth and relentless spread, allows it to easily overwhelm other garden plants. Where established as a wayside weed, native plants are also aggressively over-run.

Although it does not produce seeds, it can sprout from very small sections of rhizomes and, under the provisions made within the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to cause Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild. Much of its spread is probably via topsoil movement or construction traffic."

Given that, whilst it is not illegal to have it in your garden it IS illegal to allow it to spread to neighbouring properties.

Is the problem then overhyped? just asking?

 

Re: So the RHS is wrong then?...

Is the RHS wrong?

There is no doubting that Japanese knotweed is a problem. But as I said so are a number of native species.

The literature is full of botanical anti alien comments. For example Oaks are said to support 600 species of insects because its is a native species. while that nasty foreign Sycamore only supports a handful of insect species. Conclusion, chop down the nasty foreign tree. Oaks are British and good for biodiversity.

However, if you compare native oak with introduced oaks, and sycamore with the native field maple (a much more reasonable comparison) then you find no difference between the native and introduced species.

Similar thing could be said about Rhododendrons - regarded as nasty aliens that nothing eats. Nothing eats them wherever they grow. its nothing to do with the passport they carry. In fact there is a strong case to argue they are native to the UK. They have been on this little rock every other interglacial period.

For reasons that are not clear we don't have too many problems with alien species in the UK. Most of our flora are recent introductions. However, in the USA, Australia and other places aliens are much more of an issue.
End of lecture

Does that help?

 

Don't want to get picky and say Japanese knotweed does not germinate in the UK, because it does not produce seed. Its a single clonal plant all the same sex!
You are correct it will regenerate from broken sections of roots, but not stems.
I don't think I would recommend eating it. Its not dissimilar to rhubarb but without the flavour. best cooked to breakdown the oxalates, but why bother?

Rhododendrons, actually produces toxins with poison other plants as much as shade them out. They tend to be a problem in woods where humans try managing or open hillside. if left well alone other species usually push them out. But we do like to interfere - see any more analogies there?

 

You will always have someone popping up periodically and causing trouble,and sometimes this trouble impacts on your way of life. Then you need to become involved. The government voted in will then make this decision on their own or as part of a coalition. Why did we go into Iraq in 1991,and what was the build up to this.

 

japanese knotweed is that harmless if you get caught spreading it about in the wild you could face a heavy fine or a prison sentence..

 

technically yes. but I cannot find any record of anyone being sent down for planting Japanese Knotweed.

Meanwhile I have just reviewed a paper that shows that it has no effect on reducing botanical diversity and actually rare species do quite well were it grows

 

Lets talk about the Grey Squirrel. The liberal govt of the Red Squirrel decided to allow the Grey to enter its domain,it told him off again and again you naughty Squirrel don't do it ag............. too late

 

As it happens, most red squirrels are introduced too

 

What? They don't use internet dating sites yet?

 

Really from where, and when. I'm sure that its been here for a few years like hundreds what was here before, Diplodocus

 

The reds squirrel is a native species but was almost hunted to the point of extinction by the Victorians. To help its recovers many animals were reintroduced from northern Europe. Genetic analysis of Red squirrels in the UK now shows that most of our remnant populations are descendants of these recent European introductions.

The idea of native is a crazy in our wildlife as it is in humans. For example rosebay willowherb that is common around tarn is a UK native and found in the Cairngorms since the last ice age. But the plants you see everywhere are American. We are a mongrel island full of hybrids with hybrid vigour (apart from a few inbreed bigots)

 

The Red Squirrel is native. That is all. Do you think of something to say against the grain , then believe it just to make yourself sound /feel better. The Op like mine was a correct metaphor to show that if you introduce something that's not indigenous into a certain system it will somethings destroy it if left unchecked. What do you want to happen ?

 

Inbred bigots not heard of that flora or fauna is that one of those weak spindly plants that bends and breaks every time something touches it also known as y gochius minimus

 

Sorry manxy I don't want to pull rank here.. But I am an academic and this is what I research on

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02337.x/full

Yes the red squirrel is native as a species. but most individuals red squirrels in the UK are introduced. The DNA work was done by a mate of mine at Newcastle university.

The fact is most aliens do not cause problems. There is something called the rule of tens. 10% of introduced species actually can survive in the wild.
of that 10% about 10% of those may cause any problems. Its not clear why, but the point is most of the time you introduce something not indigenous into a system it does NOT destroy it if left unchecked.

 

Again you answered your own question the red squirrel is native. Name one non indegenous species of something that is left unchecked in a different environment. Get your percentage out on that

 

grey squirrels are a pest and are offered no protection,it is illegal to release them into the wild,if they are caught they must killed,which is just as well because my whippet killed one last sunday..
squirrels and japanese knotweed cause untold damage and only a professor of botany would stick up for them,,,a bit like when bill fcukin oddie sticks up for magpies