Six of us spent four days at Torridon on the west coast, working on rhododendron control for the National Trust for Scotland. Some of the low, younger plants were sprayed with herbicide, but windy weather prevented spraying later in the week. The majority of the work involved clearing a route through a rocky gully using loppers and bowsaws, to allow access, and then injecting the rhododendrons with glyphosate (Roundup). This was done by drilling holes into the main stems of each individual plant, close to ground level, and then filling the hole with glyphosate solution. The solution is then taken up and translocated around the entire plant.
The project is part of a National Trust for Scotland scheme to assess the efficacy of this method. The sun shone for most of the week and we enjoyed some beautiful spring weather, working in a stunning location.
