Shaping the future of bracken management in the UK

A two-part survey, conducted by The James Hutton Institute on behalf of NatureScot, Natural England and the Welsh Government, has been issued as part of the Strategic Bracken Framework project to gather information about different methods currently being employed to deal with bracken, so that the information can be synthesised and shared more widely.
 
Since the withdrawal of the chemical herbicide Asulox, land managers are looking to find alternative methods for bracken treatment, and it is hoped that as many stakeholders as possible will fill out this 15-minute survey to help provide both the industry and strategists working to find solutions.
 
Professor Robin Pakeman, a Hutton plant ecologist working on the Strategic Bracken Framework, said: "Deciding on how to do bracken control used to be simple - should I cut or should I spray?
 
“However, the removal of Asulox as the main herbicide available has completely changed the picture, especially as many areas where bracken grows aren’t accessible for cutting. We know farmers and land managers are keen to find alternatives, that’s why we are asking them about their experience of different treatment methods so that we can bring together and synthesise that shared knowledge and make it available to everyone. We would also like to know how people want their advice delivered so that we can provide support for bracken control."
 
Kirsty Hutchison, from NatureScot’s agricultural team, said: “Land managers are the people with hands-on experience of bracken control on the ground, so it’s great that the Hutton is asking for their views and experiences to help inform practical guidance for managing bracken across the UK. We urge as many land managers as possible to complete the questionnaire, to provide any information they have on past and current experiences of bracken treatment.”
 
The survey, which closes on March 15, is available to all those who wish to answer it and can be accessed here: https://forms.office.com/e/SbMkM6KqQp