The inaugural conference on Integrated Weed Management for the Amenity Sector is to be hosted by Kersten UK on Thursday 5th June in Birmingham’s Highbury Hall.
The conference couldn’t be more prescient with the publishing of the National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan in February and the new Pesticides National Action Plan finally published just last month. The new Pesticides National Action Plan particularly highlights Integrated Management, a sustainable strategy using biological, cultural, and mechanical methods to manage pests including weeds to minimise the reliance on conventional chemical pesticides. The conference aims to inform and discuss the diverse ranges of weed management practices within the UK Amenity sector.
Presentations will include speakers from the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on the implications of the new Pesticide National Action Plan for the Amenity sector and from Cambridge City Council on a case study in becoming pesticide-free and developing their Herbicide Reduction Plan after declaring a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019. Parks for London will also be unveiling its Updated Integrated Weed Management Guidance and LANTRA will be launching its new qualification in Integrated Weed Management at the conference.
As part of the conference, attendees will be able to learn about the latest technological advancements in weed control such as various thermal and electrical weed control methods. Manufacturers from across Europe will be present to showcase how “mechanical alternatives can effectively maintain urban green spaces while minimising environmental impact” (UK Pesticide National Action Plan).
Attendees will also be able to participate and answer important questions in an audience-led discussion panel hosted by Bradley Tennant of International Greenkeepers for Hire. Panellists include Professor John Moverley OBE, previously the independent chairman of UK Amenity Forum now running JMMSolutions Consultancy, and Nick Mole of Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK).
Nick, PAN UK’s Policy Officer says: “This is an exciting initiative that has been launched by Kersten to bring together experts in Integrated Weed Management. PAN UK will be on a panel with other experts to promote the cause of going pesticide-free and managing weeds without the use of toxic chemicals. As more and more councils and other land managers throughout the UK are moving away from chemical weed control it is a fantastic opportunity to broadcast the message that pesticide-free is both possible and desirable to an audience that can actually achieve that objective.”
The conference hopes to bring together stakeholders of our amenity spaces, from council parks, street scene and highways teams to grounds maintenance contractors to exchange expertise and discuss the management of green urban spaces.
Sean Faulkner, the integrated weed management specialist from Kersten UK, who kicks-off the conference with an introduction to Integrated Pest Management says: “My hope for the conference is that this will be a fertile ground to share how an integrated pest management philosophy can deliver a cost effective and sustainable weed control solution for the amenity sector.”
