The Importance of ‘Weeds’
27 August 2024
This year, you may have noticed that ‘weeds’ seem to be more abundant than ever across the countryside. The wet weather over the past 18 months has led to the perfect conditions for Thistle, Ragwort and Blackgrass propagation.
In the wildlands, we celebrate the ecological value of these wildflowers, but we appreciate that not everyone shares our views. We thought it would be useful to explore the value of ‘weeds’, dispel a few myths, and share our approach to ‘weed’ management.
What exactly are ‘weeds’?
According to Merriam Webster a weed is "A plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; especially one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.” Whilst the term ‘undesirable plant’ has relevance to farms and gardens, to our process-led natural ecosystems the only undesirable plants are a few very specific invasive species. So ‘weeds’ at Nattergal are really just another native wildflower or grass.
In fact, we know that what are generally considered 'weeds' play a vital role in supporting wildlife. Research shows that weeds as defined by the injurious weeds act (Common Ragwort, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Curled Dock and Broadleaved Dock) are four times more beneficial for pollinators compared to conventional ‘recommended’ pollinator plants, and they are twice as important for herbivorous insects. For instance, Ragwort alone supports over 30 species that rely on it to survive (10 of which are so rare they are on the IUCN Red List), while more than 200 other species utilise it as a nectar and food resource.
Understanding the Abundance of Weeds
This year, due to 18 months of wet weather, the UK has witnessed an incredible surge in the growth of Thistles, Willowherb, Blackgrass, Groundsel, and Ragwort, particularly in areas like Boothby Wildland, where the conditions for these plants to propagate are further enhanced by the open soils of the former arable fields. These weeds thrive in bare, open, and wet conditions, which explains their prevalence across the wider landscape.
However, it’s essential to understand how these plants propagate and how far they move each year through seed dispersal (spoiler: not far at all). They need disturbance, cultivation and open ground. As our projects move through natural succession, the opportunity for these plants will decrease over time as grass, scrub, trees and other wildflowers begin to colonise across the land.
These plants produce a significant number of windborne seeds, however the majority of these are not viable to reproduce. The viable seeds (approximately 44% in the case of Creeping Thistle) are heavier and typically do not disperse more than 2- 5 metres from the parent plant. The lighter seeds that drift through the air are most often non-viable and are usually consumed by birds or settle into the soil.
At Boothby Wildland for example, most of the fields were arable last year, meaning there hasn’t been enough time for colonisation to occur beyond the boundaries. Any perceived increase in weeds appearing in areas surrounding the wildland would most likely be due to the existing seed bed and unusually wet conditions over the past 18 months.
The Future of Weed Management
As natural succession evolves across the wildlands the number of ‘weeds’ in our ex-arable fields will decrease. They will never disappear entirely, as disturbance from our free-roaming herbivores will create the right conditions for their colonisation.
As a general rule, we will therefore create a buffer zone on our boundaries with neighbours, wherever we expect there to be a high weed burden. We will top or pull these plants, or even plant a screen of trees to catch any seed drift.
Exceptions will exist in the early years, where we are trying to establish a particular habitat such as scrub, meadow or woodland. For example at Boothby in our ‘Southern Block’ wildflower meadows, in a bid to facilitate the natural colonisation of trees and scrub, we intentionally left some of the margins of the fields uncut this year. This strategy aims to allow a scrubby mosaic to establish along the edges, allowing the area to become less open and undisturbed during the winter. As a result, this year may have looked scary from a weed perspective, however we expect to see significantly less weed growth in the coming years, and the emergence of grass, along with the early stages of new trees and shrubs. Over time, these areas will evolve into dense walls of scrub, surrounding a species-rich grassland with many fewer of these contentious wildflowers.
Proactive Measures for the Community
We are committed to ensuring that the restoration process does not negatively impact the communities surrounding our wildlands. At Boothby, after an initial abundance, we expect the volume of Thistle, Groundsel, Willow Herb, and Ragwort to start decreasing. Whilst their early presence will be great for wildlife, birds and pollinators, we will endeavour to minimise any propagation onto neighbours land and gardens.
As noted above, these plants do not move far every year through propagation (approximately 5m for thistle and ragwort and maximum 20m for Groundsel) so with a buffer or minimal disturbance of the soils we can easily protect our neighbours. Specific fields, like Exton’s, Ark Field, Kirk Field and Withern’s, are being managed to become meadows and woodlands, which naturally won’t have a high weed burden.
We are constantly learning when it comes to timing, management and ecology, but if it becomes necessary, we will mobilise a team of volunteers to assist with weed removal. Our aim is to be good neighbours and protect everyone’s property.
Addressing Concerns about Ragwort and Ponies
One common concern is the impact of Ragwort on ponies. Studies indicate that the risk of annual pony deaths from ragwort is actually extremely low (about 0.03%). These incidents typically occur in overgrazed paddocks where food is scarce or in hay or silage fields. In well-managed paddocks, Ragwort poses virtually no threat to livestock as ponies or cattle have no desire to eat it. The Buglife document linked below is a great information resource on this issue.
In summary
Nattergal's approach to these wonderful but contentious wildflowers is rooted in ecological understanding, whilst at the same time trying to also be a considerate neighbour. By recognising the vital role that ‘weeds’ play in supporting biodiversity, we aim to create a thriving ecosystem that will benefit both wildlife and local residents.
If you are a neighbour of a Nattergal wildland and have any outstanding concerns or questions about weeds, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Further reading
We thoroughly recommend Isabella Tree's book Wilding, for a fascinating account of the ‘weeds’ at the Knepp Estate.
For more information on ragwort, please check out Ragwort - Buglife
For those who enjoy a more scientific study, we recommend this comprehensive study from the Journal of Applied Ecology: The disproportionate value of ‘weeds’ to pollinators and biodiversity - Balfour - 2022 - Journal of Applied Ecology - Wiley Online Library