Doing something about ragwort

cremedemonthe

cremedemonthe

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Don't shoot me down in flames, there will be doubters amongst you but I have today got onto a local reporter for a fairly large local newspaper to see if he would run a story about the state of the UK regarding ragwort and doing a local report.
I am sure there are many members of the public who are not aware of what it is or how dangerous to grazing livestock it is. If I can show them via the media what a real problem it is, hopefully it may shame some of the offenders into doing something.
I can but try.
Why don't you all have a go too, all across the UK approach local papers to see if they will run a report on ragwort and how rife it is, not necessarily pointing fingers at people who don't remove it but just to raise it's awareness.
At the very least I will be ignored and nothing will happen but it might just save some horse owners having to go through the agony of losing their horse through ragwort ingestion.
I won't get into any arguements on here about it, it is just a suggestion.
Have any of you already done this, if so what was the end result?
 
I met a walker recently who told me her young daughter picks the daisy flowers completely unaware how poisonous they are

Today via Throcking in Herts I passed a field with 2 horses in it and Ragwort flourishing next to their water trough! Amazing. Well cared for horses but a field of ragwort.

But what a great idea. I think even non horse people need to realise this is not some pretty countryside flower! But it has a sinister side!
 
We get paid for pulling ragwort, but they have cut our budget this year, so not been given the hours needed to get on top of it! :(
What i worry about ( and have come across) is some well meaning people pulling it up, but then just leaving it on the ground!
 
Excellent idea, but may I suggest you gather together as much information and statistics as you can and write a brief fact sheet to present to your tame journalist?

Journalists are much more likely to pick up on a story that is half written for them. Maybe others here can contribute to a list:

Legislation.
Characteristics of the poisons involved.
Methods of control.
A few "names" (farmers, yard owners, NFU, BHS, etc) with contact addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers said reporter can contact for quotes.
The Bugs people (for the opposite view!)
URLs of informative web pages.
Good quality photographs.
How about quotes from the roads department of the local council? British rail? Local councillors?

Must be more!
 
What a good idea. I'll write to the local council as there's plenty round here. I'm forever driving along seeing it in fields, with or without grazing livestock, along grass verges and even dumped on the side of the road like a poster above already mentioned. I work at a livery yard and I can spot even the smallest plant from a distance and up it comes! My eye is honed into the darned stuff.
 
Reporter has been and gone, we even went out to a local council owned spot full of ragwort to photograph it, should be in the paper this week and he has contacted other people who have horses, as well as the local councils themselves to see what they have to say about not removing ragwort off their land.
Has anyone else decided to contact their local paper to see if they would run a story?
If not please do have a go as it all helps build the bigger picture and raise awareness.
 
A jolly good idea! I went to an open garden day the other week - beautifully manicured garden, with some lovely well cultivated ragwort growing in the borders - even looked like it had been pruned!!
 
Ragwort is the worst I have ever seen it, fields just full of it and obviously all going to go to seed. Also our little local nature reserve is full of it, dont know if I should contact someone re this or as its a nature reserve they will leave it ?
 
In North Wales we have the help of a reporter for the Daily Post our regional daily paper. You contact him via the papers website or by clicking a link on the BHS area website. There is also a link on the BHS website to a questionaire which you can fill in with the field location/area etc. You can contact your local trading standards office or Defra as it is an offence to have ragwort growing
 
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