Giant hogweed firmly on the menu for a flock of hungry sheep in Aberdeenshire town

The non-native giant hogweed can lead to the erosion of riverbanks.

By Chris Cromar

June 2 2023, 6:29 pm

It is hoped that the black faced sheep will eat the giant hogweed.

A flock of hungry sheep have been introduced to an Aberdeenshire town to defend it against the non-native giant hogweed.

They will be based at Inverurie’s Ury Riverside Park and it is hoped they will control the non-native invasive plant.

Aberdeenshire Council has been working closely with the local community for several years to deal with the problem, but it is the first time sheep have been brought in to try and control it.

Giant hogweed in a field. — Giant hogweed can cause a lot of damage to communities. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

While the plant may look very impressive when fully grown, it is harmful to both the local environment and to people as it contains a toxic sap.

If this comes into contact with the skin, it can cause severe burning and blistering when exposed to sunlight.

As it has done along many of watercourses in Aberdeenshire, giant hogweed has spread along the banks of the River Ury, escaping from gardens where it was introduced as an ornamental plant.

With its tendency to quickly smother native vegetation, the growth of the plant can also lead to erosion of the riverbanks.

‘Turned to some new recruits’

Judith Cox from Aberdeenshire Council’s environment planning team said: “Since we took over the area of land along the floodplain of the River Ury – now known as the Ury Riverside Park – we have been working closely with the local group which tends the area to control the giant hogweed.

“Standard means of control by spraying with glyphosate several times a year and repeated mowing have failed to have a significant impact on the growth. So in a bid to find a more sustainable and long-term solution to the control of giant hogweed, we have turned to some new recruits – a small flock of black faced sheep.

“The land being grazed includes land immediately in front of Uryside Primary School and the children have shown a keen interest in their new neighbours.”

Uryside School building. — Children from Uryside School have been getting to know the sheep. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

Due to the pigment in their skin, the sheep are not affected by the giant hogweed and have developed a real taste for it.

An area of the Ury Riverside Park has now been fenced off using funding from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, which has enabled the council to introduce sheep grazing with the help of a local shepherd.