News
Expensive pesticide blunder a timely reminder
Golf course pesticide blunder could cost the UK’s smallest national park a £100k funding penalty
THE New Forest could lose £100,000 funding after Burley Golf Club used pesticides on its course no longer allowed by the EU.
Under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme, which is run by Natural England and part funded by the EU, the New Forest receives £2m a year for various projects and
conservations schemes. In order to be eligible for the cash, New Forest organisations, such as the verderers, Forestry Commission and the National Park Authority, must meet stringent criteria.
But, following an inspection by the Rural Payments Agency, it was revealed at a recent verderers committee meeting that the area was likely to lose 5% of its funding and, if the problem continued next year, the fine would rise to 15% (£300,000).
Colin Draper, the New Forest’s Grazing Scheme Manager, explained that the HLS area
covers all Crown lands, which includes a responsibility for how golf clubs are managed. “What has happened is that Burley has been using pesticides no longer permitted by the EU to prevent damage to their greens, which are in an SSSI and a nitrate vulnerable zone,” he explained. “This is considered by the Rural Payments Agency to be a breach of our HLS agreement.”
Mr Draper said the club had been made aware of the issue and that it was willing to work with the verderers to ensure such a breach did not happen again.
Merit® Turf update
A report in the December/January issue of Pitchcare magazine may have caused confusion
IN the last issue of Pitchcare, we reported on the withdrawal of neonicotinoids, including Imidacloprid-containing products. This may have caused some confusion as Bayer’s Merit® Turf is one such product. The company has issued the following statement which should clarify the situation, and we apologise for any confusion.
“Chafer grubs and leatherjackets are lawn turf pests which feed on the roots of turf grass plants, causing the plants to die back and have a straw coloured appearance. The effective control treatment for these turf pests is Merit®
Turf which contains Imidacloprid.
Recently, the EU issued a revised regulation that restricts the use of Neonicotinoids for at least two years, which impacts on Imidacloprid-containing products. As a consequence, there has been much speculation in the press and media about potential bee harming substances, and which products cause harm and have been or should be removed from sale.
The restriction of use for Imidacloprid-containing products is where there is a risk to bees from consumption of nectar or pollen. The amendment, however, makes no mention of Imidacloprid products used on managed amenity turf or grass species. Bees do not feed on managed amenity turf as it does not contain flowering species. Whereas the use of other products in certain areas, such as some seed treatments, HAVE already had withdrawal notices issued against them.
Therefore, the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD), the UK regulator for this legislation, has confirmed that Merit®
Turf is unaffected by the revised regulations and no withdrawal or amendment is necessary. UK customers can continue to purchase and apply Merit®
Turf with confidence to ensure that they can control populations of chafer grubs and leatherjackets in sports and amenity turf.”
Grass Seed Mixtures for Sports & Amenity Professionals
All MM mixtures are Headstart®
Rothwell, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN7 6DT Tel: 01472 371471
amenity@limagrain.co.uk www.limagrain.co.uk/mm
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 PC 7
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