Training for Local Authority Professionals

This training has been designed specifically for those working in Local Authorities who are involved in dealing with issues relating to invasive weeds, such as Japanese knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

It will equip attendees with the knowledge to be able to plan how to respond to the challenges of dealing with non-native species to meet the environmental challenge and achieve a cost effective/neutral response.

Key topics covered will include:

Duties of Local Authorities: legislation, policies, recent developments
Government and EU strategy and biosecurity
Responding to public concern
Short, medium and longer term strategies
Developing practical actions
Implementing realistic change

The training will be delivered in an interactive format with workshop elements to enable sharing of experience and to ensure relevance of learning.

Who should attend?

This training is relevant to anyone working in a Local Authority who is involved with dealing with the issue of invasive weeds, such as Japanese knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

Relevant job titles include: Grounds Maintenance Monitoring Officer(GMMO), Conservation Officer, Biodiversity Officer, Environmental Health Officer, Residential Services Officer, City Warden Service, Property Standards & Enforcement Services, Invasive Weeds Officer, Wildlife Officer, Conservation officer, Community Green Space Officer, Countryside Management Services, Invasive Weed Surveyor, Knotweed surveyor, Greenspace Manager / Officer, Grounds and Estates Services, Parks Manager, Site Supervisor

Attendees at previous workshops have said in their feedback that they took things away from the day that were directly relevant to their situation and that the benefits from attending the training more than covered the costs of attending.

Trainers

Professor Max Wade

Max is Technical Director (Ecology) at AECOM based in Cambridge and has over 20 years of professional ecological experience, specialising in environmental protection and the management of a wide range of habitats, endangered species and ecosystems with an emphasis on plant ecology.

Max has advised various clients and government on a range of issues including risk assessments for pathways and species, alien invasive species management and the distribution and spread of aquatic flora, the latter while Professor of Ecology at the University of Hertfordshire. More recently Max has been supporting the PCA in developing a professional and evidence based approach to Japanese knotweed and other invasive weeds.

Sean Hathaway

Sean is the Environment Officer for the Planning Department of the City and County of Swansea but is still better known as the county’s first Japanese knotweed officer!

Sean and Swansea have provided a lead in Japanese knotweed management including the first Japanese knotweed planning condition, garden ‘no knotweed’ green waste bags and the launch of a knotweed control service for the general public and private land owners.

Book your place

Date: Date to be confirmed. Please contact Jade Stoker to register your interest [email protected]