Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending regulations of: 2 September 2014 (No. 552) [shall come into force from 5 September 2014]. If a whole or part of a paragraph has been amended, the date of the amending regulation appears in square brackets at the end of the paragraph. If a whole paragraph or sub-paragraph has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted paragraph or sub-paragraph.

Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 559 Adopted 14 July 2008

Regulation Regarding Restricting the Spread of the Invasive Alien Plant Species - Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.

Issued pursuant to
Section 5, Clause 15 of
the Plant Protection Law

1. General Provision

1. This Regulation prescribes:

1.1. the measures for restricting the spread of the invasive alien plant species - Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden., (hereinafter - hogweed), the procedure and the methods for the eradication thereof;

1.2. the procedures by which the State administration institutions shall provide information regarding the spread of the hogweed at the target groups of land use and the content of the information that shall be freely available to the public.

1.3. labour protection requirements when taking the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed.

2. Measures for Restricting the Spread of the Hogweed, Content of the Information Regarding the Spread of the Hogweed and Procedures for the Provision Thereof

2.1. Content of the Information Incorporated in the Data Base and Procedures for the Submission Thereof

2. The State Plant Protection Service (hereinafter - Service) shall enter the data regarding the spread of the hogweed in the existent data base of the spread of invasive alien plant species of the State Information System Regarding Surveillance of Cultivated Plants under the supervision of the Service (hereinafter - data base).

3. In order to enter in the data base the data regarding the spread of the hogweed, the owner or the legal possessor (hereinafter - person) of the land invaded by the hogweed shall submit the following to the Service:

3.1. a submission specifying:

3.1.1. information regarding the person (the name (firm name), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

3.1.2. information regarding the person taking the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed (the name (firm name), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person) (hereinafter - performer of the measures);

3.1.3. the location of the unit of the land invaded by the hogweed (if possible, the address, the cadastre designation of the unit of the land, the name of the State motorway, index, picket positions or the coordinates determined by the global positioning system receiver (hereinafter - receiver) (hereinafter - location);

3.1.4. the area invaded by the hogweed (in hectares) and the area (in hectares) of the dense hogweed stand present in this territory (there are no other caulescent plants);

3.1.5. the time period when it is planned to take the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed in each vegetation period for the subsequent five years and the method to be utilised in accordance with Paragraphs 20 and 21 of this Regulation;

3.2. a copy of the plan of the land invaded by the hogweed where the territory invaded by the hogweed and the method planned for restricting the spread of the hogweed in each section is indicated.

[2 September 2014]

4. If all the information referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Regulation has been submitted, the Service shall take a decision to include it in the data base.

5. The data base shall include:

5.1. information regarding the person (the name, registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

5.2. information regarding the person performing the measures (the name, registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

5.3. location;

5.4. the area invaded by the hogweed (in hectares) and the areas of the dense hogweed stand (in hectares) present in this territory (there are no other caulescent plants);

5.5. information regarding the time period when it is planned to take the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed and the method to be utilised in accordance with Paragraphs 20 and 21 of this Regulation;

5.6. the results of the monitoring of the spread of the hogweed;

5.7. supervision and control results.

[2 September 2014]

6. The Service may enter into a cooperation agreement regarding the content and form of the information referred to in Paragraph 3 of this Regulation with the State and local government institutions, as well as with the State capital companies which are the owners or legal possessors of the land invaded by the hogweed.

7. Every year by 15 January the person shall notify the Service regarding:

7.1. changes in the information submitted in accordance with Paragraph 3 of this Regulation;

7.2. revocation of the measures for restricting the hogweed in the relevant vegetative period, if it is not possible to take them, and the grounds shall be indicated.

[2 September 2014]

8. In order to ascertain the spread of the hogweed, the Service shall, by utilising receivers, orthophotomaps and topographic maps, perform the monitoring of the spread of the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

9. The Service shall, by entering into a contract, provide city and municipality local governments with online access to the information referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.1 and Paragraph 7 of this Regulation included in the State Information System Regarding Surveillance of Cultivated Plants, as well as to the cartographic material obtained during monitoring by the Service regarding territories invaded by the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

2.2. Planning, Organisation and Co-ordination As Regards Restricting the Spread of the Hogweed, as well as Informing Regarding Taking of the Measures

10. The city local government or the municipality local government (hereinafter - local government) shall evaluate the received information and shall, taking into consideration the area invaded by the hogweed, organise and co-ordinate the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed.

11. Local governments may jointly organise and co-ordinate the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed if the territory invaded by the hogweed forms a continuous stand between the relevant local governments.

12. A local government, taking into account the data of the State Information System Regarding Surveillance of Cultivated Plants, shall approve the organisational plan of measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed (hereinafter - plan) for the relevant territory for five years and shall publish the plan on its website until 1 April of the commencement year of the plan. The local government shall inform the relevant persons in writing regarding measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed planned by the local government in the property owned by relevant persons, if they have not submitted the information referred to in Paragraph 3 or 7 of this Regulation or have not taken measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

13. The plan shall include:

13.1. the activity plan drawn up for the relevant year for the organisation and coordination of the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed;

13.2. a calendar schedule for taking the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed;

13.3. information regarding the person (the name (firm), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

13.4. information regarding the person performing the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed (the name (firm), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

13.5. the cadastre designation of the unit of the land invaded by the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

14. The information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 13.1, 13.2 and 13.5 of this Regulation shall be publicly available at the local government.

15. The local government shall publish in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis [the official Gazette of the Government of Latvia] the decision to commence the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed in the relevant territory by indicating the time period for implementing the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed and the administrative territory, as well as the reference to the section of the website of the local government, in which the plan is published. The local government shall once a year review the plan and, if necessary, update it, as well as publish a notification in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis on changes in the plan.

[2 September 2014]

16. [2 September 2014]

17. If a person has not submitted the information referred to in Paragraph 3 or 7 of this Regulation or does not take the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed, they shall be organised and co-ordinated by the relevant local government. The person shall cover the expenses related to the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

18. The following information regarding the spread of the hogweed shall be provided on the website of the Service:

18.1. the name of the legal person or the given name and surname of the natural person;

18.2. the cadastre designation of the unit of the land invaded by the hogweed;

18.3. the area (in hectares) invaded by the hogweed.

18.4. a cartographic illustration of the territory invaded by the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

18.¹ The Service shall compile and publish information on its website, provided by local governments, regarding the persons who provide services in restricting the spread of the hogweed.

[2 September 2014]

19. If the State and local government institutions, as well as the State capital companies require regular information in addition to the information referred to in Paragraph 18 of this Regulation, the Service shall enter into a co-operation agreement with the relevant institutions and capital companies regarding the content and form of the information.

2.3. Methods for Restricting the Hogweed and Procedures for Eradication of the Hogweed

20. The methods (Annex) for restricting the spread of the hogweed are the following:

20.1. mechanical (M) - includes measures for eradication of the hogweed by performing mechanical activities - cutting off umbels, central rosette pinning, mulching, mowing and soil cultivation (ploughing, cultivating, rototilling, paring, harrowing and dragging);

20.2. chemical (C) - includes measures for eradication of the hogweed by utilising the products included in the plant protection product register;

20.3. biological (B) - includes measures for eradication of the hogweed by utilising the mutual biotic interaction of biological organisms - grazing;

20.4. combined (K) - includes a set of measures for eradication of the hogweed that complement each other or may not be used individually, or the combination of methods referred to in Sub-paragraphs 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3 of this Regulation.

21. When selecting the most appropriate method for restricting the spread of the hogweed, the following shall be taken into account:

21.1. the size of the area invaded by the hogweed, the density and age of the stand;

21.2. the degree of local obstacles in the area invaded by the hogweed;

21.3. the type of the land utilisation;

21.4. the soil type, characteristics and moisture regime of the area invaded by the hogweed;

21.5. stages of development of the hogweed (sprout, rosette stage, development of the inflorescence, beginning of the flowering, full flowering, end of the flowering, seed stage);

21.6. the environmental protection restrictions prescribed by the regulatory enactments related to the protection of plants and the environment.

22. Measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed shall be planned and taken until the complete eradication of the stand.

23. The person shall:

23.1. not allow dispersal of the hogweed seeds, remove the developed inflorescences with seeds not allowing them to spill and incinerate them;

23.2. after eradication of the hogweed, observe the territory for at least five years and not allow the regeneration of the stand;

23.3. fill in and keep for 20 years the record journal for the measures taken for restricting the spread of the hogweed;

23.4. enter into an agreement with the performer of the measures regarding the restricting the spread of the hogweed if the person himself or herself does not take the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed.

24. The person shall indicate the following in the journal referred to in Sub-paragraph 23.3 of this Regulation:

24.1. information regarding the person (the name (firm), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

24.2. information regarding the person taking the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed (the name (firm), registration number in the Register of Enterprises and legal address for a legal person or the given name, surname, personal identity number and place of residence for a natural person);

24.3. the location of the territory invaded by the hogweed;

24.4. the area invaded by the hogweed (in hectares) and the area (in hectares) of the dense hogweed stand present in this territory (there are no other caulescent plants);

24.5. the time period for taking the measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed, as well as the methods and techniques utilised in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation;

24.6. the developmental stage of the hogweed (sprout, rosette stage, development of the inflorescence, beginning of the flowering, full flowering, end of the flowering, seed stage) when the measures were taken.

25. The person shall append a copy of the plan of the land invaded by the hogweed to the journal referred to in Sub-paragraph 23.3 of this Regulation where the territory invaded by the hogweed and the method planned for restricting the spread of the hogweed in each section in accordance with Paragraphs 20 and 21 of this Regulation is indicated.

26. If a hogweed plant with a developed inflorescence has been detected in the territory invaded by the hogweed on the unit of the land belonging to a person, it shall be deemed that measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed have not been taken.

[2 September 2014]

3. Labour Protection Requirements

27. Measures for restricting the spread of the hogweed shall be taken by a person of legal age.

28. The performer of measures shall use the following when performing the measures for restricting the hogweed:

28.1. personal labour protective equipment according to the work to be performed, for example, liquid resistant clothing, rubber boots, rubber gloves, a no-fog face mask and safety glasses in order to prevent the hogweed sap coming in contact with the face and other exposed body parts;

28.2. water and soap for removing the hogweed sap from the equipment.

[2 September 2014]

29. After taking the measures the personal labour protective equipment, machinery, devices and instruments shall be washed with water in a specific sequence in order not to allow casual contact of the hogweed sap with the exposed body parts.

30. If the hogweed sap:

30.1. has come in contact with the skin, the casualty shall avoid repeated contact with the plants and strive to avoid direct sunlight and lighting promoting tissue damage;

30.2. has come in contact with exposed body parts, they shall be immediately washed with water and soap for 15 minutes. If the hogweed sap has soaked through the clothing, the casualty shall remove this clothing or parts of the clothing and wash the contacted body parts with water and soap for 15 minutes.

30.3. has come in contact with the eyes or mucous membrane of the mouth, the eyes or mouth shall be immediately rinsed with clean water.

31. After the contact with the hogweed sap the casualty shall stay in cool, darkened premises or in the shade, cover him or herself with a light, clean cotton blanket and drink plenty of liquids (mineral water, water, warm tea).

4. Closing Provisions

32. Until 1 July 2009 the functions of the municipality local government referred to in Paragraphs 9 and 10 of this Regulation, shall be exercised by the district local government.

33. Until 1 July 2009 the district local government shall organise and coordinate the measures for restricting the hogweed if more than 2% of the district's territory has been invaded by the hogweed.

34. If the area invaded by the hogweed on a district scale does not conform to the condition referred to in Paragraph 33 of this Regulation, the measures for restricting the hogweed shall be organised and coordinated by the local government until 1 July 2009.

35. Until 1 January 2018 the Service shall perform the monitoring of the hogweed on the land utilised in agriculture, using receivers and orthophotomaps.

[2 September 2014]

Prime Minister I. Godmanis

Minister for Agriculture M. Roze

 

Annex
Cabinet Regulation No 559
14 July 2008

Methods for Restricting the Spread of the Hogweed

1. Mechanical Restriction

1.1. Cutting off of the Umbel

1. The cutting off of the umbel shall be used for eradication of individual hogweeds, for restricting small stands and in the places where machinery or a chemical restriction method cannot be utilised, or as a supplementary technique.

2. The umbel shall be cut off at the beginning of the flowering of the main inflorescence of the hogweed. The flower-bearing stems shall be cut off utilising a tool on a long handle consisting of a curved blade (a machete type tool, similar to a scythe) or shears utilised to prune the branches of fruit trees.

3. The technique shall be regularly utilised as the basic or supplementary technique until the hogweed is eradicated.

1.2. Hogweed Central Rosette Pinning

4. The hogweed central rosette pinning shall be used for eradication of individual hogweeds, for restricting small stands and in the places where machinery or a chemical restriction method cannot be utilised, or as a supplementary technique.

5. The central rosette of the hogweed shall be cut by a spade or similar tool 5-10 cm below the surface of the ground by eradicating shoots capable of hibernating. If the work is performed in spring, it shall be repeated at least 2-3 times during the season, as regeneration of the hogweed from new sprouts is possible. If the work is performed during inflorescence formation time, it shall be sufficient to perform it once a season. If inflorescences have formed and seeds have started to develop in individual places, the inflorescences shall be cut off and eradicated by being incinerated.

6. This technique shall be regularly utilised as the basic or supplementary technique until the hogweed is eradicated.

1.3. Covering with Black (Opaque) Polythene Sheeting or Other Mulch

7. Covering with black, opaque polythene sheeting or other opaque material shall be used for eradication of individual hogweeds, for restricting small stands and in the places where machinery, a chemical restriction method and other techniques cannot be utilised, or as a supplementary technique.

8. The technique shall be used at the beginning of the vegetative period (April, beginning of May). Individually growing hogweeds or a hogweed stand shall be covered with an opaque material and secured against the effects of the wind. Thereby by interrupting the process of photosynthesis either adult plants or their sprouts die. The polythene sheeting shall be removed after the hogweed has died (approximately after three months). In order to ensure oneself against a repeated invasion of the hogweed in this place, regeneration of the vegetation shall be performed (the supplementary technique referred to in Paragraph 47 of this Annex may be utilised).

9. The technique shall be utilised for approximately 1-2 years until the hogweed is eradicated. This shall be supplemented by other techniques in order to ensure oneself against a repeated hogweed invasion.

1.4. Mowing by Tractor Traction or by Hand-held Equipment

10. If possible, tractor traction machinery shall be utilised in the territories invaded by the hogweed. In the territories where it is not possible (edges of forests, steep slopes and other restricted locations), it shall be mowed by hand-held instruments. In open areas tractor traction mowers with a rotor-type working part shall be utilised. Along roadsides, steep embankments, banks of ditches and places with an uneven relief, where it is possible, the hogweed shall be mown with a tractor mounted mower-mulcher, the working part of which - the rotor - can be raised, lowered or held at an angle parallel to the surface of the soil.

11. Mowing with tractor traction machinery shall be performed approximately 2-3 times during the vegetative period depending on the rate of the hogweed regrowth. Mowing with hand-held instruments shall be performed when the hogweed has attained a height of 15-20 cm, on average every 2-3 weeks depending on the rate of the hogweed regrowth. If inflorescences have formed and seeds have started to develop in individual places, the inflorescences shall be cut off and eradicated by being incinerated.

12. Double or triple mowing of the hogweed does not allow the hogweed to form inflorescences, consequently restricting the dispersal of seeds. Single mowing of the main inflorescence at the beginning of the flowering by preventing the development of seeds, is equivalent to the triple mowing of the hogweed. At the beginning of the flowering of the inflorescence the mowing shall be performed once, however the mowing process is made more difficult (large plant biomass) and presents a greater risk of being burnt than multiple mowing.

13. In order the mown hogweeds does not impede the operation of the drainage system, the green mass shall be removed as much as possible.

14. The technique (as the basic or supplementary technique) shall be used regularly for at least 6-8 years until the hogweed is eradicated.

1.5. Optimal Soil Treatment System

15. Soil treatment shall be performed on the land utilised for agriculture where it is possible to utilise high-power machinery from early spring till late autumn (from April to September). Soil treatment encourages germination of the hogweed seeds, therefore the roots of the long growing hogweeds shall be cut off and cut into small pieces, the hogweed worked into the soil, as well as the new hogweed sprouts shall be regularly eradicated. The treatment does not give the new hogweeds the opportunity to establish the root systems and to hibernate but the old ones prevents from storing up nutrients.

16. Optimal soil treatment system incorporates different soil treatment types and their combinations - ploughing, rototilling, paring, cultivation, harrowing and dragging. Optimal soil treatment types shall be selected according to the characteristic of the land utilised for agriculture to be treated.

17. If under a thin humus accumulation horizon an infertile podsol or gley horizon is located or the soil is rocky, worthless or otherwise not appropriate for this treatment, the deep soil treatment shall not be performed.

18. In the old hogweed stands the remaining hogweed stems shall, when starting the restriction, be cut into small peaces and worked into the soil with a heavy drag harrow with sharp edges so that afterwards it would be possible to perform qualitative treatment of the soil by any of the soil treatment techniques.

19. Very uneven and dense surfaces shall be, prior to the treatment, pared to a depth of 10 cm with the heavy discs by improving the further treatment quality and eradicating hibernating plants. Further soil treatment shall be performed after 2-3 weeks. Paring shall also be performed in case if after the harvesting there is a mass sprouting of hogweed in the sowing fields of crops.

20. In order to work the seeds deep down into the soil, the land shall be ploughed to a depth of 22-24 cm (preferably with a screw-type mould board plough having a ploughpoint unit with a drag harrow which in its turn has sharp edges and do good levelling of the tillage). If the seeds have not been worked in deep enough, then the duck-foot cultivator or rototiller shall be used for regular cutting of the new shoots to a depth of 5-10 cm.

21. If there are few hogweeds in the field, then supplementary soil treatment shall be performed concurrently with the sowing, for example, by using a rototilling machine with the seeder.

22. In dry soils, where perennial weeds are not widespread, when hogweed sprouts (at the hogweed 2-6 leaf stage), rototilling to a depth of 10-15 cm or shallow ploughing shall be performed; when cutting off the taproots, they shall be turned up as close as possible to the surface of the soil by promoting their dehydration and withering away. This technique shall not be used for moist soils. After rototilling, when the hogweeds sprout repeatedly, during the vegetative period the soil shall be cultivated 2-3 times or the method referred to in Chapter 2 of this Annex shall be used. If hogweed comes into leaf during wet weather, it may be ploughed in the soil as a winter green manure plant.

23. For a flat relief with good crumbly soil without dense sod the new shoots of the hogweeds sprouted in large quantities shall be eradicated with the heavy harrows up to 10 cm deep and the new shoots shall be cut off and shred by an average weight sharp edged drag harrow. If it is not succeeded in the first time, the activity shall be repeated, changing the direction of the movement. The stages of the drag harrow shall not be long on uneven relief, in order that the machinery can copy the surface relief and may be utilised effectively. The technique shall be utilised regularly after the sprouting of new hogweed shoots.

24. In early spring the soil infested with perennial weeds shall, when hogweed sprouts, be pared by the plough to a depth of 10 cm and after 5-6 weeks shall be ploughed to a depth of 22-24 cm. This soil treatment lessens germination of the hogweed seeds, for, upon turning the sod, they are buried deep in the soil where the hogweed cannot sprout. After repeated sprouting of the hogweed it shall be ploughed in to a depth of 10 cm. Rototilling shall not be performed in these types of soil.

25. Old hogweed stands enclosed by many deep taproots shall be disced or a drag harrow shall be utilised there as mentioned in Paragraphs 18 and 19 of this Annex. After the hogweed has sprouted the soil shall be rototilled to a depth of 10-15 cm and as far as possible shall be levelled off by rolling down or with a heavy sharp edged harrow. After repeated mass sprouting of the hogweeds deep ploughing or paring to a depth of 22-24 cm shall be performed by utilising a plough with a screw-type mould board and front-mounted stubble plough or a skimmer implement with a sharp edged drag harrow performing good levelling of the tillage. After the appearance of new shoots shallow reploughing or paring to a depth of 10 cm shall be performed. In case of new sprouting, the shoots shall be cut to a depth of 5-10 cm with a duck-foot cultivator or rototiller. If these techniques are ineffective, 10 cm deep paring by the plough shall be performed.

26. In spring the bare fallow in which it is intended to sow winter crops shall be ploughed to a depth of 22-24 cm; after the sprouting of the hogweed it shall be shallow-ploughed (10 cm) or pared; after the sprouting the remaining hogweeds shall be eradicated by shallow treatment of the soil or, if there are few hogweeds in the field, the winter crops shall be sown with a seeder equipped with a rototiller.

27. If necessary, the soil treatment techniques shall be supplemented with the method referred to in Chapter 2 and the technique referred to in Chapters 1.1, 1.2, 1.4 and Paragraph 47 of this Annex.

28. The measures shall be taken timely, in an integrated manner and systematically until the stands are completely eradicated.

2. Chemical Restriction

2.1. Procedure for Chemical Restriction

29. The chemical restriction of the hogweed shall be performed by utilising the products included in the Register of Plant Protection Products of the Republic of Latvia, which contain the active substance - glyphosate.

30. The chemical restriction method shall not be used within 10 m of water reservoirs or flowing water bodies, bee hives, as well as in their vicinity, places where it is prohibited in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding the protection of plants and the environment (for example, the Protection Zone Law, the Law on Forests, the Plant Protection Law).

31. The selected plant protection product shall not be used in combination with other chemical preparations.

32. The technique shall be applied on a still day, on dry plants and at a time when in the next two hours it is not expected to rain.

33. Plant protection products shall be used in accordance with the registered doses. Concentration of the working liquid to be effective in the eradication of the hogweed shall not be less than 2%.

34. Plant protection products shall be used for the first time in old hogweed stands in their early development stage (April, the beginning of May), when the plants have formed a sufficient leaf surface (2-6 leaf stage). The chemical treatment shall be repeated after 2-3 months, when a mass of new hogweed sprouts have appeared, - 2-3 times during a season.

35. If the hogweed is in one of the next stages of development, the technique referred to in Chapter 1.4 of this Annex shall be utilised prior to the chemical restriction method is used. The chemical restriction method shall be used 5-10 days after utilisation of the referred to technique.

36. In open areas treatment with glyphosate products shall be performed by the high-powered machinery, but in confined spaces - by the portable sprayer.

37. Individual plants at the rosette stage shall be treated by utilising an applicator impregnated with the plant protection product and by covering the hogweed rosette or the surface of the grown-up leaves with the working liquid.

38. For individual hogweeds, which have developed the main shoot, chemical restriction may be used by pouring the preparation into the mown stalk or by injecting it. The injection shall be performed with a veterinary medicine syringe - a hole shall be punctured in the part of the flower-bearing hogweed stem located above the ground and the liquid introduced in accordance with the projective cover occupied by the plant - for every three square metres 4.5 ml of the preparation shall be used.

39. The technique shall be used regularly until the hogweed is eradicated.

40. After the hogweed has been treated by the chemical restriction method the control of the treated area shall be performed and new hogweed sprouts shall be eradicated, as well as the supplementary technique referred to in Paragraph 47 of this Annex shall be used combined with the techniques referred to in Chapter I of this Annex in order not allow the regrowth of the hogweed in the treated place.

3. Biological Restriction

3.1. Grazing

41. Cattle, horses, sheep and goats shall be utilised for grazing (for example, in spring, when the hogweed has sprouted, 20-30 sheep/ha, at the end of June 5-10 sheep/ha).

42. Grazing shall be commenced in early spring. For the areas extremely infested with the hogweed, where the animals are not able to eat all the hogweed, it is recommended to mow at least once during the season or use other techniques referred to in this Annex as supplementary techniques.

43. Domestic animals shall be provided with supplementary wholesome feed. Fencing shall be checked regularly and maintained in order.

44. The method shall be used regularly until the eradication of the hogweed by supplementing with other measures not allowing the development and dispersal of seeds.

4. Combined Restriction

4.1. Procedure for Combined Restriction

45. Combined techniques are combinations of different biological, mechanical and chemical restriction techniques. The techniques are related, complement each other, shall not be separated or used individually.

46. The methods shall be used and combined by evaluating the situation, conditions and peculiarities of the territory. Some combined techniques:

46.1. the chemical restriction method is supplemented with rototilling, and this combination shall be repeated after mass sprouting of the hogweed;

46.2. in autumn soil of the lands utilised for agriculture shall be pared or ploughed to a depth of 10-15cm, in spring it shall be drag harrowed, cultivated (at the end of April, beginning of May), as well as in the first years it shall be sown with fast growing crops (annual ryegrass, buckwheat, oil radish (15 kg ha^-1), rape etc.) that are ploughed in or mown at their optimal developmental stage and utilised as silage. In addition to this, the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex shall be used, in order not allow the hogweed root system to stabilize. In the following years barley, summer wheat shall be sown, dicotyledonous weed herbicides shall be applied, as well as optimal soil treatment and control of hogweed regeneration shall be performed by using in addition the techniques for preventing the dispersal of seeds. The technique shall be used for at least 2-3 years, in addition inverting of the soil shall be carried out or the method referred to in Chapter 2 of this Annex shall be used supplemented with the techniques referred to in Chapter 1;

46.3. after the integrated use of the techniques referred to in Chapters 1 and 2 of this Annex or the use of the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 in the first years (1-2 years) the green forage or silage crops to be mown already in June shall be grown. The situation shall be evaluated. The technique shall be used in such a way that the hogweed does not grow to flowering and does not disperse seeds. In the second half of summer, when the hogweeds sprout, they shall be ploughed into the soil.

Rye or oats shall be continued to be grown sequentially. If there are still hogweeds remaining, the seeds shall not be allowed to scatter. If in individual sites inflorescences have already formed and seeds have started to develop, the inflorescences shall be cut off and eradicated by being incinerated. In addition the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex shall be used in order not allow the hogweed root system to stabilize. The remaining hogweed shall, when they are flowering, be mown together with the rye and oats and utilised for green forage or silage.

In the following years intertilled crops shall be planted, and the soil shall be mechanically loosened or harrowed. In addition, solitary individual hogweeds shall be cut, hoed out or eradicated in some other manner by supplementing the measures with the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex. The root system shall not be allowed to stabilise.

Upon evaluation of the situation, the supplementary technique referred to in Paragraph 47 of this Annex or the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 depending on the situation shall be used. The techniques shall be utilised until the stand has been eradicated.

47. Restriction with the green manure plants and other crops shall be used as a supplementary technique. This restriction as a component of the combined restriction shall be performed in the following manner:

47.1. mixtures of grass species and varieties shall be selected for sowing which are capable of competing with the hogweed and develops a dense, good growth of sward with one of these grass components - for example, cocksfoot grass Dactylis glomerata and red fescue Festuca rubra (in the ratio of 50:50) or perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne, red fescue Festuca rubra and smooth-stalk meadow grass Poa pratensis (in the ratio of 12:35:53);

47.2. grass seeds shall be sown to a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm in the soil (~4000 germinating seeds per 1 m²);

47.3. selective action herbicides shall be used in the grass sowings restricting the development of the hogweed sprouts present in the soil. The surviving hogweed shall be prevented from developing seeds by utilising additionally the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex;

47.4. along river banks, after utilisation of the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex a mixture of grasses shall be sown by hand (for example, cocksfoot grass Dactylis glomerata and red fescue Festuca rubra (in the ratio of 50:50), reed fescue Festuca arundinacea and red fescue Festuca rubra (in the ratio of 35:65) and shall be mown regularly. The first mowing shall be performed approximately one month after the sowing, when the plants have reached a height of 20-30 cm, in the second year - depending on climatic conditions, density of the green plant sward and the development phases of the hogweed. In addition, the techniques referred to in Chapter 1 of this Annex shall be used.

48. In order to ensure maintaining good economic state of the area, further management of the territory shall be ensured.

Minister for Agriculture M. Roze

 

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Translation © 2015 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)