AN INVASIVE plants specialist revealed the biggest hotspots for Japanese knotweed in the region, with St Helens listed in second.
Meanwhile, Prescot has been listed as third for Merseyside and Newton-le-Willows fourth.
With the summer growing season over, invasive plant specialist Environet revealed the Japanese knotweed hotspots for 2024, with Merseyside the second worst-affected location in England.
The analysis is based on the latest data from its interactive online tracker, Exposed: The Japanese Knotweed Heatmap, which is updated with new verified sightings reported by Environet’s team and members of the public throughout the year.
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Now populated with almost 60,000 known infestations of Japanese knotweed, Exposed has monitored the spread of the invasive plant across the UK over the last six years, helping homeowners and homebuyers stay informed about the risk level near their property or one they wish to buy.
St Helens was found to have had 374 incidences of Japanese knotweed, making it the second highest in Merseyside, with Liverpool in first with 606.
Prescot had 189 cases and Newton-le-Willows 159.
Users can enter their postcode on the tracker to discover the number of knotweed sightings nearby, with hotspots highlighted in yellow, orange and, in the worst affected locations, red. Tapping into the growing trend for citizen science, people can also add sightings to the heatmap if they suspect a plant may be knotweed, by uploading a photo to be verified by experts.
Taking into account the different sizes of each county or unitary authority, Environet has calculated the number of known Japanese knotweed infestations per km² to identify the worst affected areas.
Merseyside’s Top Five Japanese knotweed hotspots for 2024
Rank
Location
Total
incidences
1
Liverpool
606
2
St Helens
374
3
Prescot
189
4
Newton-le-Willows
159
5
Southport
128
England’s Top 10 Japanese knotweed hotspots for 2024
Rank
County
Total Incidences
Incidences / km2
1
Bristol
710
5.18
2
Merseyside
1,611
2.49
3
Greater London
3,592
2.29
4
Greater Manchester
2,846
2.23
5
Lancashire
4,556
1.48
6
Channel Islands
281
1.42
7
Derbyshire
2,651
1.01
8
West Midlands
908
1.01
9
South Yorkshire
1,417
0.91
10
Isle of Wight
325
0.85
If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of St Helens. Please get in touch at simon.mulligan@newsquest.co.uk
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