Although its flowers are famously beautiful, invasive rhododendron presents a unique problem to the managers of any land it gets established on.

Rhododendron ponticum, in particular, is an aggressive coloniser that out-competes and replaces other, desirable plants, and reduces a site's biodiversity.

If left untreated, it can rapidly occupy the entire under-storeys of several types of woodland, as well as heathland and open spaces. It is also notoriously difficult to remove, often recovering quickly from all but the most thorough treatments.

Now the Forestry Commission has published a practice guide that provides essential guidance and advice for land managers on managing and controlling invasive rhododendron. Entitled Managing and Controlling Invasive Rhododendron, it was written by Colin Edwards of the Commission's Forest Research agency.

It sets out the sequence of events required to plan and manage the control of invasive Rhododendron ponticum. In addition to providing guidance on planning, and a decision support flowchart, it presents a number of approved control techniques - chemical and mechanical - that can be used individually or in combination to manage and eradicate invasive rhododendron bushes on any infested site.

The guide, priced £6.50, can be ordered from Forestry Commission Publications, PO Box 25, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7EW; tel: 0870 121 4180 ; quoting stock code FCPG017. It can also be downloaded free from www.forestry.gov.uk/publications.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

1. Rhododendron ponticum is a non-native, evergreen shrub that was first introduced to the British Isles in the 1760s. It was popular as an ornamental shrub in gardens, parks and estates, and it was also under-planted in woodlands and on heathlands to provide shelter for game. DNA analyses reveal that most of the naturalised "wild type" rhododendron in the British Isles is derived from material originally introduced from Spain, Portugal and Turkey.
2. The Forestry Commission is the government department for forestry in Great Britain. It supports woodland owners with grants, tree felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Ministers in the UK Government, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government on forestry policy. It manages more than 1.04 million hectares (2.56 million acres) of national forest land owned by Ministers for multiple public benefits such as sustainable timber production, public recreation, nature conservation, and rural and community development. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk.
3. Forest Research is the Commission's agency that carries out world-class scientific research and technical development relevant to forestry for a range of internal and external clients. For further information, visit www.forestresearch.gov.uk .

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