The Devon Angling Association

The DAA work parties expend a huge effort during the summer trying to cut down the masses of Himalayan Balsam along the banks of the summer before it turns to seed. The Ochils Landscape Partnership [OLP] have taken on a large programme of spraying with herbicide the large stands of Himalayan Balsam and particularly the Japanese Knotweed.

Alongside this the River Forth Fishery Trust are operating the Forth Invasive Non Native Species Programme [INNS] to prevent, map and control invasive species. Their priorities are:

• Himalayan Balsam [very common on the Devon]
• Japanese Knotweed [common on the Devon]
• Mink [present along the whole of the River]
• Giant Hogweed [rare on the Devon but prolific on the Forth & Allan]
• American Skunk Cabbage
• Signal Crayfish

See http://www.fishforth.co.uk/inns/ for details of the programme and species identification

While parts of the catchment have been extensively mapped by INNS/DAA/OLP there are probably gaps.  INNS have provided a simple tool to report sightings which we urge any angler on the Forth Catchment to use:

http://isweb.esdm.co.uk/ISWeb_RAFTS/MyPublic.aspx?OrgID=RAFTS

My personal advice for anglers on the Devon …….. spend ten minutes every time you are on the river side and pluck any stems of Himalayan Balsam beside you and you will be amazed how much you can clear [I am sure that there are several very poor puns that made to describe this work based on the work PLUCK too 😉 ]

Well actually as usual, quite a lot 🙂

Oh aye RFFT?

Well that is the River Forth Fisheries Trust, which was formed in 2009 as a registered charity. It is intended to  “to advance for public benefit environmental protection and improvement by conserving and enhancing all species of freshwater fish and their environments primarily but not limited to the inland and coastal waters of the River Forth catchment including all waters which enter the Forth Estuary and Firth of Forth.”

The Trust is a member of Rivers and Fisheries Trust of Scotland (RAFTS) which represents all of Scotland’s Fisheries Trusts covering in excess of 80% of Scotland’s rivers. The trust works very closely with, but independently from the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board.

The small team at the Trust are busy working with the proprietors and angling clubs/associations through the Forth catchment surveying, monitoring, advising and waging war on the multitude of invasive plants.

So what have the team been up to, well fans of social media you can follow what the team’s work at:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/RiverForthFisheriesTrust

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ForthFishTrust

The Ochils Landscape Partnership have announced details of their Ochils Festival which will run through the whole of June this year. All the events are free and include a  number of events to be held around and about the River Devon and the Hillfoot glens ………. anyone with an interest in local history and the Devon valley environment will find some of interest in their programme of events:

Click to access OLP-Festival-Leaflet-2014.pdf

The DAA are both an active participant in and beneficiary of the Ochils Landscape Partnership [OLP], where we join 20 other organisations including the local community councils, Clackmannan Council, Stirling Council, Dollar Museum and Forth Valley College.  The purpose of the OLP to quote from its website is:

The Ochils Landscape Partnership aims to increase access to the hills and glens of the Ochils, improve the quality of our rivers, and restore parts of the historic built landscape. The project will provide opportunities for community involvement and volunteering to tell the story of the area’s cultural, social and industrial heritage. It aims to enhance the lives of people in the Hillfoots and also to increase visitors to the area.

The £2.26 million project, which runs until 2014, is a landscape partnership scheme with the lead funder being the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project has also been funded by EDF Energy, Clackmannanshire & Stirling Environment Trust, Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust and Clackmannanshire Council, with in-kind contributions from Stirling University and National Trust for Scotland on specific projects.

[Source: http://ochils.org.uk/ ]

Their work will help improve the riparian habitat on both the Devon and the feeder burns. The OLP have been funding the extensive programme of invasive plant spraying (Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed) and hope to undertake some much needed bank stabilisation work.