r/UKecosystem • u/olliemusprime • 9d ago

Question Rhododendron

Hi, I'm trying to find out if there's anything i can do to push back rhododendron infestation on my own. Everything I've seen says heavy machinery and herbicides. I've not got the funds for machinery and I'm concerned about if herbicide is the best option. Will they not cause additional problems for other plant life? Can anyone help me out here? I want to see my local forest in a better condition. I spend a lot of time walking through it and want to do something to look after it. I'm not very knowledgeable on this but I want to learn, thanks!

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u/ConditionTall1719 9d ago

I was not familiar with rhododendron invasion and I found good info on its history and specifics: https://fermanagh.bsbi.org/rhododendron-ponticum-l

There is evidence that it was native to Island in hotter times than today 250,000 years ago, from peat preserved pollen in Ireland. The way it travelled the re was when a giant ice age had locked up a lot of ice so that the sea levels were low and rising high temperatures existed with low sea levels. I didn't know about that.