Plain English guidance on injurious weeds can be found on the Business Link website.

The Weeds Act specifies five injurious weeds: Common Ragwort, Spear Thistle, Creeping or Field Thistle, Broad Leaved Dock and Curled Dock. Under the Weeds Act 1959 the Secretary of State may serve an enforcement notice on the occupier of land on which injurious weeds are growing, requiring the occupier to take action to prevent their spread. Enforcement of the Weeds Act is carried out by Natural England on Defra’s behalf – see ‘Enforcement of the Weeds Act’ below.

Ragwort

Common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea) is poisonous to horses, ponies and other livestock, and if ingested either in its green or dried state can cause cumulative liver damage with potentially fatal consequences.

• Code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort – Advice on identification, priorities for control, control methods, environmental considerations and health and safety issues.
• Guidance on the disposal options for common ragwort

The control of injurious weeds publications

• Identification of injurious weeds – to assist in the identification of injurious weeds.
• The Weeds Act – guidance note on the methods that can be used to control harmful weeds – contains information on weed control and further sources of advice.
• Preventing the spread of harmful weeds (PDF 70 KB)

The following codes of practice are also relevant:

• Code of practice for using plant protection products
• Code of Good Agricultural Practice: Protecting our water, soil and air – a code of good agricultural practice for farmers, growers and land managers

Enforcement of the Weeds Act 1959

Responsibility for enforcement of the Weeds Act 1959 rests with Natural England on Defra’s behalf.  A complaint form (WEED 2) and explanatory note (WEED 2A) are available if you wish to complain about an infestation of injurious weeds as specified in the Weeds Act 1959.

• Complaint form (WEED 2) – Please read the complaint form explanatory note (WEED 2A) carefully before you complete the WEED 2 complaint form.

A web-based interactive map site is available at www.magic.gov.uk. This facility may help you produce a map on which you need to show the affected land and include it with your compliant form.

Please note that completed complaint forms should be returned to Natural England at the following address:

Natural England, Customer Services, PO Box 2423, Reading, RG1 6WY

Email:  iss.reading@naturalengland.org.uk (mark ‘Injurious weeds’)

Telephone: 0300 060 1112 (request ‘Injurious Weeds’) Local Call Rates Apply

Legislation

• Weeds Act 1959
• The Ragwort Control Act 2003 – The Ragwort Control Act amends the Weeds Act and promotes the more efficient control of Common ragwort.

See also

• Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive plants (Link to Business Link website) – Information on identifying, handling and controlling invasive plants.
• Injurious weeds and invasive plants (Link to Natural England website)