these Open Championship Clubs choose to relief grind - Pitchcare

Ideal for use around tree bases
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia
japonica) and Giant Hogweed
(Heracleum mantegazzianum)
are typical examples of the type
of weeds that we now control
with use of the system.”
“We also assist our Rangers in
the construction of boardwalks,
particularly in the very boggy
areas where we reduce the
impact on the environment and
the amount of trails within these
particular areas. A raised
boardwalk ensures no obstacles
for animals to come and go as
they please, and also they allow
the flow of water to continue
unhindered. All of these factors
preserve the environment and
allow the areas to continue and
thrive as they should.”
“Parks and Green Spaces also
assist in preserving the acid
grasslands found within the
Wyre Forest District area. Here,
we conduct a yearly cut and
collect programme with the
Rangers to ensure these rare
grassland areas do not remain
impoverished, and to ensure
their continued survival which
greatly benefits bio-diversity. We
also assist in the clearance of
reeds from streams if they
become ‘choked up’, which
allows a natural flow of the
system to ensure all species
benefit from the watercourse.
This, in turn, also serves to help
our flood defences.”
“Prior to the introduction of
the Mankar system in 2009, we
were using the CDA (Controlled
Droplet Application) system, but
market and product research
proved to us that it was, in fact,
both overly expensive and
under-performing. With the
twenty two Parks and Green
Spaces team members we had
at that time, the back-pack
system we employed was
A simple dial controls flow rate
difficult to both manage and
control financially. It was
expensive in terms of material
cost, as we were spending
around £1400 a year just on
herbicide, plus what we were
spending on lance repairs. Due
to the volume of herbicide we
were consuming, we also had
an additional annual cost of
£400-500 a year for the
disposal of containers and the
subsequent impact of that
process on the environment.”
“Overgrown paths are cut
back manually, and then the
saplings that sprout are
controlled with the use of
Roundup. Only 0.1-0.2 gallons
of herbicide are required per
acre and, when compared with
conventional systems, such as
knapsack sprayers, volume
savings of up to 80% are
achievable. Also, herbicides can
be used undiluted, reducing our
work time and using less of our
resources. We are achieving
savings in both herbicide
volume usage, and a financial
saving of around £900 a year.”
Adrian Leonard, who works
alongside Joshua, then took me
on a visit to Brinton Park, one of
the many open spaces that
Wyre Forest have to maintain,
to show me the range of work
situations that the new system is
applied to. He said “we use it in
all of our public parks and open
spaces along flower-bed
borders, pathways, edges,
verges and around obstacles
and tree bases. Not only are we
saving money, but we are also
seeing an improvement in the
quality of the areas we
maintain, which has resulted in
the authority currently having
two parks up to Green Flag
status and a further three more
pending.”
SPRAYERS
TOPDRESSING & LOAM
From village green to county ground
Visit our website at www.boughton.co.uk
and download an analysis sheet to find out
which of our three cricket loams are most
suitable for your ground.
Boughton Kettering, Club, and County
Loams are sourced locally and analysed to
establish compatibility and conformity.
They are then screened and can be
supplied dried and sterilised or untreated
for construction projects.
Pitchcare Classifieds
Boughton Loam is available nationwide. To find your local stockist
of bagged products please use the postcode selector on our website
at www.boughton.co.uk or telephone 01536 510515.
Ongar Loam cricket dressing
and top quality golf and
bowls dressings
Order direct from the
manufacturer and our
distributors
Moreton, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0HY
Tel: 01277 890246
Fax: 01277 890105
www.binderloams.co.uk
Email: sales@binderloams.co.uk
Advertising in this
classified section costs as
little as £200 a year.
Telephone: 01952 898516
TREE TIES & SUPPORTS
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 PC 141