Sorry, the whole page reads as follows....I hope this helps?
Taken from
http://www.kirkleesmc.gov.uk/community/env...gwortweed.shtml so alot of the contact information relates specifically to Kirklees.
How to identify common Ragwort ?
Flowering stems are produced from late June onwards. These are between 30-100 cm tall carrying dense flat topped clusters of bright yellow daisy like flower heads each 1.5 - 2.5 cm across. The leaves on the mature plants are divided into narrow lobes with the bases clasping to the non woody main stem. The flowering stems die back after producing seeds, each plant being capable of producing up to 150,000 seeds.
Why should I be concerned about Ragwort ?
The Defra Code of Practice issued by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs on how to prevent the spread of common ragwort aims to define the situations where there is a likelihood of common ragwort spreading to neighbouring land where it will present an identifiable risk of ingestion by vulnerable grazing animals.
Under the Weeds Act 1959 the occupier of land should take action to prevent the spread of common ragwort.
The Code does not seek to eradicate ragwort as it very important plant for wildlife in the UK as it supports a wide variety of invertebrates and is also a major source of nectar for many insects , but to prevent its spread to areas that pose a high risk of poisoning to livestock in fields or areas used for the production of forage.
Assesment of risks
Where common ragwort is present on land the owner of the land should make an assessment to determine whether action should be taken to prevent the spread onto neighbouring land by establishing the risk posed to animals or forage production.
Three risk categories are used to assess risk, these are:
High risk - Common ragwort is present and flowering/seeding within 50 m of land used for grazing by horses or land used for forage production
Medium risk - Common ragwort is present within 50 - 100m
Low risk - Common ragwort or the land infected is more than 100m from land used for grazing by horses or land used for forage production is present.
However these distances are only guidelines when assessing the risk, as prevailing winds and topography can affect the likelihood of it spreading to neighbouring land.
Action & control of common Ragwort
Where a high risk of spread has been identified the owners of the land should put in place and implement a ragwort control policy to take into account vegetation management , nature conservation status and biodiversity attributes of the land . Immediate action to control the spread should be taken using appropriate control measures. The land should be monitored for the effectiveness of the clearance for up to six months or until the end of the growing season.
Where a medium risk of spread has been identified, a control policy should be established to ensure that where a change from medium to high risk of spread can be anticipated it is identified and dealt with in a timely and effective manner.
Where a low risk of spread has been identified no immediate action is required. Where a low risk is identified but the presence of ragwort is likely to present a risk in the future, contingency plans should be prepared for its control.
Cutting - emergency treatment to prevent seeding, it is essential to cut before seed heads are mature as upto 150 000 seeds can be produced from one plant. All cut material should be disposed of correctly as seed can still be set and foliage continue to cause a danger to animals and it should be removed from the area. Gloves must be worn.
Levering and pulling - Loosen and dig/pull up plants before seed heads mature, best results are obtained when soil is moist, all material should be removed as above. Pulling alone can cause the plant to break off, and leave the rosette in the ground ready to grow again. Gloves must be worn. Probably one of the best controls but very labour intensive. All material removed should sealed in plastic bags for landfill or proper incineration (improper burning can spread the seed ).Transporting pulled ragwort should be in a sealed container or well covered to prevent the spread of any seed.
Spraying - should be done in April or May prior to the flowering stage using the appropriate chemical and spraying equipment for the area to be treated. With small infestations spot treatment with a selective or glysophate based weedkiller. Boom spraying to fields or paddocks prior to flowering using a proprietary selective weedkiller, however most products also kill other broad leaved plants. Blanket wipes with proprietary selective weedkiller to the taller plants is more beneficial to the field or paddock.