An invasive weed spreading via underground rhizomes, bracken has a preference for better quality ground and a habit of colonising areas almost un-noticed, suppressing heather and grass, until suddenly there is a management problem of significant proportions that was not there before.

While poisonous to livestock, the weed's principle impact on game is in loss of feeding and nesting area and in the excellent conditions it provides for sheep tick, carriers of the Lyme, Louping Ill and Redwater viruses, to quest and breed.

Louping Ill has particularly high mortality rates in infected grouse and Lyme's disease, while rare, is not unknown in humans.

Land use changes and fewer hill cattle, whose weight and sharp hooves helped break up root systems, have led to increasing bracken areas with loss of grazing and species variety coupled with increased disease and pest risks are now a significant challenge in some areas.

Bracken control is not straightforward.  Primary treatments will rarely be 100% successful, follow up is required and it is important to encourage replacement vegetation if recolonization is to be avoided.

Spraying with Asulam, a well proven and relatively safe chemical, tends to be the initial control of choice.  Small areas can be treated using knapsack sprayers or ATVs but on larger areas and steep or rough ground aerial (helicopter) application is the only practical solution. 

Irish Helicopters and Kenny McGillivray of Heli-Highland have between them some 20 years of bracken control experience. We now us the latest spray equipment fitted to the versatile Squirrel helicopter.

Various consents, which can be arranged by Irish Helicopters, are required before spraying can commence and follow up treatment advice is available from SAC and Land Management specialists.

Cost is in the region of 92€ / ac (229 € / ha) and financial support is often available through RSS, ESA, Forestry and Crofting assistance schemes.
For further information contact Kenny McGillivray on +44(0)7790 018529.