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Commodity Watch – Bracken Control

Commodity Watch 

At the recent Bracken control evening held at Greenmount it was explained that approximately 1.5m hectares in the UK have been invaded by Bracken.  While there are no definitive figures for Northern Ireland, it is still recognised by many farmers as a considerable issue which is adding cost and creating practical difficulties for their business. 

For those who have already experienced problems with Bracken they will understand that it is a plant which thrives in highly acidic soils and prefers a deep or sandy loam.  It is an extremely invasive plant with a huge underground network of rhizomes which can make it very difficult to destroy and with it growing up to 1.5m high it is obvious that it can present a very dangerous health and safety obstacle for those working on more difficult terrain.

There are a number of important reasons for thinking about controlling bracken.  Ultimately it is invading what can be productive land for livestock systems or a habitat for our rural wildlife.  It will have an impact on land eligibility for the Single Farm Payment system.  And further to this Bracken is also considered a carcinogenic threat to humans and poisonous for livestock.

Taking all this into account, CAFRE has recognised the severity of this problem and the cost implications for farmers and in July 2014 began the first Bracken Control Project in the UK to assess the effectiveness of various control methods.  Currently the project is ongoing on 6 sites across Northern Ireland and CAFRE hope to increase this to 8 in 2015.  The sites are representative of a number of different land types from the sand dunes at Murlough Nature Reserve, to the uplands in the Antrim Estates in Glenarm and also the Bann Estuary at Portstewart.  It is hoped that the two new sites in 2015 will broaden the project out to the west of the country.

To date each site has been split up into 8 trial plots, two of which are control plots.  The remaining plots are being used to test the effectiveness of 3 different control measures: ‘bruising’ using a very small Cambridge roller; flailing; and finally spraying.  Following the use of each control measure, livestock were being allowed back into the plots as a post- management tool.  In addition to the three control measures, density and height of the plant along with weather conditions are also being recorded. 

While CAFRE expect the project to run until 2018, early results from the first year of work are showing some interesting trends.  While bruising will not suit all land types, to date it appears to have been the most effective control measure.  The use of sprays to control the bracken has also been effective although is potentially a more costly exercise.  While with flailing a percentage of re-growth has already been observed following the control measures in July suggesting that to date it is the least effective measure in this trial.

While there is no doubt that it will take several years for CAFRE to find the definitive answers they seek from their research, they should certainly be commended for their work on this issue which could potentially have meaningful benefits for farmers at a practical and financial level.