1 hectare of Japanese Knotweed cleared using RootWave Pro
This story is taken from our newsletter The Volt. To read a magazine version of this and other stories, click here.
After a three-year treatment program, a one-hectare (10,000m2) area of Japanese Knotweed is down to a handful of stems, without the use of chemicals or any digging to remove roots.
Three year treatment plan
The infested area was around the outlet from storm drains in the town of Veldhoven in the south of the Netherlands. Contractors Ibor Advies BV began treatment in 2019, shortly after purchasing a RootWave Pro machine from Dutch distributor Ramm. A planned programme of treatment with a single RootWave Pro machine has driven the previously expanding infestation back, while native plant and wildlife has been allowed to quickly re-establish itself.
Chris Verstappen of Ibor Advies BV says this has been possible as there have been no chemicals used and no need to dig out areas of soil. He said: “As an organisation we want to have a positive impact. We don’t use chemicals; we have electric vehicles and now with RootWave we can effectively tackle Japanese Knotweed in our way.”
Robust low-cost set-up
Ibor Advies BV had tried other non-chemical methods for treating Japanese Knotweed, but none had been as quick or effective as RootWave Pro.
Chris said: “We’ve put our RootWave Pro machine on to an argi-cart (tracked wheelbarrow), so we can drive it straight from our van on to banks or dykes. Then all we need is a can of fuel, and we can go on all day. This means that we can act quickly with the work.”
This efficient and robust set-up means that Chris can offer an effective, efficient, and competitive solution to his customers. In 2021 Ibor Advies BV used RootWave Pro machines on 28 sites around the Netherlands. Their machine was purchased from our Dutch distributor Ramm Equipment.