How to tackle invasive and harmful weeds on your property

The summer growing season continues to hit its stride, but not just for vegetables, arable crops and flowers – this summer we have once again received a number of enquiries about persistent weeds on members’ land. The majority of queries we receive from CLA members are ragwort-related, but other stubborn weeds have also raised their (unwanted) heads this year.

In light of this, we have expanded on our previous ragwort guidance note to offer members a comprehensive reference point for any weed-based queries. In the guidance below, we focus on landowner rights and responsibilities with regards invasive and injurious weeds, and explain the control methods for three of the most commonly referenced weeds; common ragwort, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.

Ragwort for example can be potentially harmful to horses, so equestrian land managers in particular will benefit from reading this crucial advice. The template letter within this guidance note will assist you when contacting neighbours about the spread of weeds from your land. Likewise, any newer landowners who are perhaps less confident in identifying ragwort will find the guidance note most useful as it describes each plant, along with pictures, to help with on-site identification.

As of July 2025, Natural England no longer help with ragwort complaints by writing to landowners who did not control the weed from spreading to vulnerable sites – despite the Weeds Act 1959 giving it powers to help enforce better management. Over the next few weeks, the CLA will be liaising with Natural England on this recent change as we believe it should continue to offer this service as a final line of defence against the further spread of ragwort.

As with most matters, your regional CLA team is available to discuss any issues with weeds or related matters that are not covered in this new guidance note. Our expert teams can also recommend specialist contractors or legal professionals to help with issues such as Japanese knotweed if this is causing some nuisance or damage to your property.