The giant hogweed is a very large and impressive plant that has been imported as an ornamental plant. The flower stalk can grow several meters tall. It is closely related to the native cow parsley (which is not a harmful species!). If the giant hogweed is allowed to flower and produce seeds, it creates thousands of seeds that can remain viable for up to 10 years. Controlling the giant hogweed is therefore difficult and must continue for several years.
The sap from the cow parsley combined with sunlight's UV radiation causes burn-like blisters that heal slowly on the skin. Therefore, one must be very careful and use protective equipment when handling the plant. Children can also be tempted to play among the large leaves.
In the municipality of Vörå, control of giant hogweed is ongoing in Oravais. It has likely spread to the municipal land area behind the Tallkotten daycare from a garden. The alert neighbors reported it in the summer of 2012, and the control work has been started by project workers at the NTM center. The municipality will monitor the situation in the area for several years.
More information about giant hogweed and its control can be found at www.vieraslajit.fi
Giant hogweed behind the former daycare in Oravais
The Himalayan balsam is a plant that is found in many gardens. It thrives especially well in damp places like streamside woods and along watercourses. The flowers of the Himalayan balsam range from white to dark red, with pink and purple tones being the most common. It throws its seeds several meters away from the parent plant and spreads effectively. Both the plant and the seeds are annuals. It is not toxic and can be easily pulled up by the roots. If Himalayan balsam is found along roads, rivers, or ditches, it should be controlled to avoid bigger problems later.
More information about Himalayan balsam with pictures and control measures can be found at www.vieraslajit.fi
Lupine has spread widely along roadsides. Roadsides, which are regularly mowed, are often places where native meadow flowers thrive as meadows and pastures have decreased and disappeared. Lupine is also a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning it transforms the soil it grows in to be more nutrient-rich, thus reducing the areas for meadow plants even more. Lupine is difficult to control because its seeds remain viable for over 50 years! It needs to be mowed several times per growing season to reduce its presence.
Lupine is a beautiful addition to a garden, but allowing it to spread to roadsides and beyond the garden is prohibited.
More information about lupines, images, and control can be found at www.vieraslajit.fi
Take part in a national effort to combat invasive species from May 23 to August 31, 2022!
General Instructions for Participating in Solo Clean-Up Efforts:
Participate in solo clean-up efforts on your own, in small groups, or with your association in your garden or on your plot, and also at designated clean-up sites marked by the municipalities.
Permission Required for Plant Removal
For any actions taken by an individual on someone else's property, the owner's or holder's consent is required. This also applies to public areas, such as municipal outdoor areas, parks, and beaches. The public right of access allows you to pick plants, but digging up or removing plants on someone else's land is not allowed without the landowner's permission.
Safety in Volunteer Work
Pay attention to work safety at the clean-up sites. Use necessary protective gear and appropriate tools.
We do not insure participants, so everyone manages their own insurance coverage independently, and volunteers perform their clean-up activities at their own risk.
Waste Management
Plant waste should preferably be treated where it is generated to reduce the risk of species spreading elsewhere. Plant waste can also be disposed of with burnable waste in a sealed plastic bag.
The Vörå municipality has designated the ski center area in Vörå (Skidbackvägen 16) as a solo clean-up area for combating lupins and Himalayan balsam. Along the jogging trails, lupins can be pulled up and either left in a sunny spot to dry or taken and thrown into the trash bin at the ski lodge. Feel free to pick lupine flowers for beautiful summer bouquets! This way, you prevent new seeds from spreading!
More detailed instructions on participation and reporting can be found on the solo clean-up website.