A question that seems to keep cropping up … ‘what are your targets for 2012’….

Well – if someone said you can do exactly what you did in 2011 I would be more than happy. As a businessman I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to expand, take on more projects, take on more staff and carry on growing the company…

But I’m not sure that the ‘Japanese Knotweed Industry’ has the capacity?

I don’t believe that the problem of Invasive Non Native Species has been ‘tackled’ …or is in any way under control…but…I don’t believe that there is a demand for a company that is massive or has huge numbers of staff.

I do believe that there will always be a requirement for ‘specialist’ companies offering bespoke services to clients who have problems with invasive species. These services should only be offered by experienced companies with a depth of knowledge about the environment and a depth of knowledge in the behaviour of these ‘alien’ species.

It’s not enough to know what Japanese Knotweed looks like.

It’s not enough to know what chemicals will kill Japanese Knotweed.

It’s not enough to have a qualification in spraying.

It’s not enough to have a BASIS qualification.

My ‘target’ would be to have a team that ask the questions that need to be answered prior to any programme of weed control.

Why is Japanese Knotweed growing here?

Where has the plant come from?

What existing plant has been precluded by the growth of the alien species?

Are there other groups of plants that will take over the area once the target species has been eradicated?

How can we return this piece of land to its ‘natural’ condition?

So maybe that should be my answer to ‘what are my targets?’…an increased depth of knowledge within the teams at JKSL and a better service for all of our clients…

…and if I could be a millionaire by the time I’m 40 that would be great…

Mike C

From the Times Best of the Blogs 2011

A note of advice to the G20 leaders:

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation says that: ‘when you discover you are riding a dead horse, best strategy to dismount.’

However…..In Government more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

• Buying a stronger whip
• Changing riders
• Appointing a committee to study the horse
• Arranging a visit to other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses
• Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included
• Reclassifying the dead horse as living impaired
• Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse
• Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed
• Providing additional funding and/or training to increase dead horses performance
• Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would increase horses performance
• Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some other horses
• Rewriting the performance expectations for all horses
• Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Sorry – just had to share this.

Mike C

As we start the year I find myself wondering what the next few months will bring? I wonder how long the Government can relentlessly tell us all that we are in for a difficult time in 2012 without some sort of knock on effect on businesses?

Here at JKSL the last year has been hard work… yet…we have succeeded in having our best year ever. Despite the constantly depressing news about the Euro, the constantly depressing news about growth forecasts, and the devaluing of the pound in our pocket due to inflation…

If I wasn’t bombarded by bad news I would be planning for a bright and positive 2012 – but because of what I read I am planning for very little other than trying to keep what I have. If I can maintain my current workforce and make do with vans that have done high mileage – keep the current web site for another 12 months then perhaps we can avoid the problems that the rest of the UK industry is experiencing?

But…I also find myself wondering…perhaps this is all just bad press and bad Government?

If we are to believe that there is a housing shortage and that thousands of young people are just waiting to get on the property ladder then surely houses need to be built?

If we are to believe that brownfield sites up and down the country are to be released for development and planning restrictions are to be lifted then surely there is space for houses to be built?

If all of this promised development would start - then I would be expanding my workforce and buying those new vans and investing in the future…and maybe this would have a knock on effect on all those other industries that are connected and everything would start to move forward to the benefit of everybody…

As it stands we all will be stuck in the glue of a static economy and nobody will be doing anything…

Mike C

PS I know it’s not that simple.

A sharp decline in honey bee numbers could be linked to a ‘zombifying’ parasitic fly, scientists believe. Colony collapse disorder, marked by the sudden disappearance of worker bees, was recognised as a serious problem in 2006.

Evidence has emerged that Apocephalus borealis, which is known to attack bumble bees is also targeting honey bees.

The fly lays its eggs in the abdomen of a bee which then displays ‘zombie’ like behaviour, abandoning its hive to congregate near lights – ……the bees then then violently attack any humans in an effort to consume their flesh *

(*nb this last bit was made up by MC)

The research is publicised today in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.

Sorry – this has nothing to do with Japanese Knotweed but I love Zombie movies.

Mike C

We would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year – and also to offer some age old advice on your knotweed treatment…

Keep an eye out for the signs of new shoots as the weather warms up – especially if you know a neighbour has JK.
If you see any signs, don’t hesitate! Take photos, or get someone to look at it now before it’s too late – if it is Knotweed, the sooner you treat it the better, and if it isn’t, wouldn’t you rather have the peace of mind..?

..Something to think about!

Apparently the whole Japanese Knotweed eradication industry is a ‘myth’ …or so some dusty old boffin writing for the Horticultural Society would have us believe.

Alien plants are supposedly not a threat to biodiversity and the truth is that ‘nobody knows’ the real extent of the problem.

He states that alien species are ‘rare’ and that they occur ‘overwhelmingly in and around towns and transport networks’ and are ‘generally uncommon in semi natural habitats that we most want to preserve’.

He notes that Himalayan balsam only displaces ‘other aliens’ or ‘thuggish natives’ – he then further notes that Japanese Knotweed harbours ‘late pollen for bees’

Frankly I don’t know where to start, articles like this make my blood boil.

I could take the author to a multitude of sites around my office without travelling more than 10 miles and show sites that are completely over run with either Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan balsam. These sites would vary from industrial to domestic through to open countryside and SSSI’s.

I am a keen mountain biker and travel all over the country to some of the most remote regions – and I can confirm – I always spot non-native invasive plants….everywhere!

Anybody saying this isn’t an issue is either blind or stupid.

Anybody in a position of credibility saying this isn’t a problem – needs shooting.

Myth : they cost £1.8 billion a year to control

The cost implications of Japanese Knotweed have been detailed in a report titled The Economic Cost of Invasive Species on Great Britain. These are not ‘extrapolations of extrapolations’ – these are figures based on detailed analysis of turnover from the major contractors working in the field of Invasive Species management.

This isn’t a myth - its fact.

Myth : Gardeners are responsible

Much has been made of where these plants originated from and unfortunately (sorry Mr Pearman) they originated from private gardens.

It has been proven time and again that gardeners share their prize plants and offer cuttings and seeds with colleagues and friends - and this is how many of our problem plants were spread around the country.

It is only recently through initiatives such as ‘Be Plant Wise’ that the British Public are being made aware of the problems that Invasive Non Natives can cause.

This isn’t a myth – it’s a fact

Mind you, I suppose if Japanese Knotweed provides ‘late pollen for bees’ – then it must be ok?

Mike C

I have been proud to be one of the first people to recognise the problems with Invasive Non Native Species in the UK. I also believe that I was THE first person to recognise the commercial potential of Invasive Non Native Species – and THE first person to set up a company solely to deal with the problems that thee plants present.

As such I feel uniquely positioned to comment on the development and growth of what is basically a ‘new’ industry. We have been doing this for ten years.

Nothing else – just Japanese Knotweed.

There are many arguments about ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ – the difference between how a child is raised and the way parents teach their offspring about right and wrong and what impact the environment surrounding the child will impact on its growth.

For a new business these factors are just as important.

The Japanese Knotweed treatment market was created to combat the lack of understanding in the construction/development field about how to deal with difficult plants. The specialists were brought in to advise how to avoid making their problems worse and how to avoid being fined by the various legislative bodies. The market for our services grew during a time of rapid development and a buoyant economy.

Unfortunately the industry has taken a step which I believe is akin to being adopted by a wicked stepfather…

As with any successful industry ‘other’ businesses will look at the market and think … ‘I can do that’…

Well – as I have always said…. ‘dealing with highly invasive plants is not like building a wall – it’s not about bricks and mortar – it’s about understanding our environment’.

We are on the brink of having a set of new rules introduced to govern the behaviour of Japanese Knotweed Contractors - the new rules have unfortunately been ‘adopted’ by some ‘dodgy parents’.

Those that are involved have seen fit to get in bed with a group that mainly deals with ‘damp proof services’. Now correct me if I wrong – but what the f**k do damp proof contractors know about Japanese Knotweed.

F**k all.

Japanese Knotweed Solutions Ltd will continue to offer the best services and the most viable solutions to your Japanese Knotweed problems.

We will not be offering advice on damp proofing.

Mike C

Here is my Christmas tip for losing those extra pounds!

We have recently been asked to visit a site in South Wales to price a project for a good new client. We dropped straight on to the project free of charge producing drawings, survey information, levels and detailed calculations for earth moving volumes.

We returned our price within 24 hours of the request.

We were the best price.

We came with the highest of recommendations.

We lost out because one of our competitors lied.

If that doesn’t make you sick to the stomach then I don’t know what will…

Bluuuuurrrggghh

Mike C.

I have recently found myself in a bit of a moral dilemma.

I like to make money, I think of myself as a good judge of character and a pretty good businessman….but occasionally I make mistakes. One such example occurred recently when I was approached by a gentleman who showed an interest in working with Japanese Knotweed Solutions to offer a niche service to his domestic clients.

Always keen to explore new markets, I met and worked with the gentleman but soon became increasingly aware that he had a simple agenda of …taking over the world. He lied, he cheated – he was aggressive and used bullying tactics which simply bored me…(anyone will tell you that I’m not that easy to bully).

I walked away and didn’t worry too much about them.

However – and now comes the dilemma -  It appears that ‘others’ have been taken in by his outwardly smooth appearance.

Do I tell them?

Naah – they deserve what’s coming.

Mike C

Yes you may have my autograph…

So …the other week I was approached by the Jeremy Vine Show to be interviewed by Vanessa Phelps for a piece on Japanese Knotweed. It all happened very quickly – phone call at 11 then on air LIVE at 1.30….aaarrrrghhh

Weird how many of my mates now listen to Radio 2 – as I was talking live on air my phone was bleeping away with incoming texts and my computer started to fill with incoming messages. It was funny reading … ‘you’re sounding good Mike’…whilst I was still talking!

(NB I am taking this as confirmation that I am Middle Aged – Radio 2 – bloody hell… I used to listen to John Peel during the days of punk…what happened?)

Joking aside – I do get annoyed by the scare monger tactics of the reporters. Nobody wants to hear the truth about Japanese Knotweed, they just want horror stories…

I hope I was the ‘voice of reason’, the feedback that we have received has been positive…

Mike C