Repair work on the bed of the Resco creek between Vagio and Matassino will only be carried out between October and November: a solution that has become necessary in light of a real-life invasion recorded on the shores of the Japanese knotweed, a highly invasive alien plant.
The situation was illustrated to the townspeople at the rally which was held at the Vaggio Club in the presence of the mayor of Reggello Piero Giunti, councilors Adele Bartolini and Gio Bartolozzi, and the president of the Consorzio di Bonifica Alto Valdarno, Serena Stefani.
As the administrators explained, the melioration of watercourses and watercourses takes place every year on the basis of an action plan. which is compiled by the Consortium together with the municipalities, as well as on the basis of citizens’ reports; the plan is then sent to the region for review and approval. Work usually starts on July 1 of each year (previously this was not possible because the law thus protects nesting bird species) and ends by December 31.
“Resco routine maintenance work is also scheduled for 2023 to ensure proper water outflow,” President Stefani explained. – but due to the massive presence of the Japanese test site, we are forced to wait for October-November. This is because, on the basis of studies also carried out by universities, we have identified a period of vegetative dormancy, when the leaves dry, as the most appropriate time to intervene without propagating the plant.”
Knotweed Japanese – Asian plant, probably come down to us as an ornamental plant for gardens; however, he quickly invaded (during the last 4, 5 years) banks of streams that arrived last year before flowing into the Arno. It grows and spreads very quickly, so much so that it is considered one of the hundred most invasive species in the world. Even a single cut branch, which may seem dry, can take root again if left on the ground, which explains its rapid and massive reproduction. Pruning the plants in the summer, in the full vegetative phase, would mean over-propagation and for this reason the Consorzio di Bonifica will not interfere with Resco’s cleaning until late autumn.
“And when we intervene,” Serena Stefani added, “we will do it by cutting it up and then burning it right on the spot so that even moving the remains does not contribute to their spread to other areas.” In short, a punctual operation to limit as much as possible the spread of this alien species that suffocates native vegetation and puts the entire river ecosystem at risk. During the meeting, the Consorzio di Bonifica and the municipality of Reggello asked for the help of citizens to learn to recognize this plant and avoid behaviors such as cutting it in summer or refusing to mow in a stream that do nothing. except to increase its distribution.