Alien invasion of knotweed takes root across nation

A parish just outside Cork City is one of many urban and rural communities under threat from an invasive alien species.

Japanese knotweed is in the top 100 list of the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) and has taken a grip on communities such as Glounthane.

The knotweed plant has vigorously invaded natural habitats, hedgerows and waterways all over Ireland and pushed out our own native species, leading to huge areas of monoculture where no other species can survive and the biodiversity in the area is greatly reduced.