The village of Dalvík in North Iceland has approved to intensify its war on the lupine with a five year intensive use of Monsanto developed herbacide Roundup. The decision comes after previous attempts to control the invasive plant have failed. Locals fear the lupine is permanently altering the flora in the municipality, which covers a large part of east shore of Eyjafjörður bay in North Iceland.
Weapons of mass destruction, supplied by Monsanty
A newly enacted city plan to combat the lupine calls for the use of the controversial pesticide Roundup, developed by Monsanto:
“Attempts have been made to cut the lupine down to keep it in check, but this does not kill the plants and has proven of very limited value in keeping them from spreading further. In light of this experience we will move on to poisoning the lupine, just as has been done to combat several other invasive weed plants.”
Roundup will be used to kill the lupine, but until now the municipality has used other herbicides, Hebamix and Harmoni to combat weeds.
A beautiful, but aggressive invader
The Dalvík plan calls for close collaboration of municipal authorities and landowners. The municipality will supply landowners with the pesticide and expert help in deploying it, while calling on “everybody” to participate. “It is crucial that everybody participate in this project, because only then can we be successful!”
Read more: The war on the lupine plant continues around Iceland
The Nootka lupine which grows in Iceland is not native to the country as it was imported from North America in 1945 to combat topsoil loss, which had been a serious problem since the 19th century. The lupine has a tendency to create monocultures which both prevent other plants from growing and can suffocate more delicate flora.
Roundup unlikely to provide the final solution to the lupine problem
Despite having upped the ante in this war of extermination, Valur Þór Hilmarsson, the environmental director of Dalvík tells the local news site visir.is that he doubts the municipality will be able to declare complete victory: “We will perhaps not be able to exterminate the lupine completely, but the main thing is to keep it in check and use it in the correct places – it’s not all bad.”
The lupine, although very beautiful while in bloom, and an important ally in stopping topsoil loss and combat erosion, is an invasive species in Iceland, threatening local plant life.
The village of Dalvík in North Iceland has approved to intensify its war on the lupine with a five year intensive use of Monsanto developed herbacide Roundup. The decision comes after previous attempts to control the invasive plant have failed. Locals fear the lupine is permanently altering the flora in the municipality, which covers a large part of east shore of Eyjafjörður bay in North Iceland.
Weapons of mass destruction, supplied by Monsanty
A newly enacted city plan to combat the lupine calls for the use of the controversial pesticide Roundup, developed by Monsanto:
“Attempts have been made to cut the lupine down to keep it in check, but this does not kill the plants and has proven of very limited value in keeping them from spreading further. In light of this experience we will move on to poisoning the lupine, just as has been done to combat several other invasive weed plants.”
Roundup will be used to kill the lupine, but until now the municipality has used other herbicides, Hebamix and Harmoni to combat weeds.
A beautiful, but aggressive invader
The Dalvík plan calls for close collaboration of municipal authorities and landowners. The municipality will supply landowners with the pesticide and expert help in deploying it, while calling on “everybody” to participate. “It is crucial that everybody participate in this project, because only then can we be successful!”
Read more: The war on the lupine plant continues around Iceland
The Nootka lupine which grows in Iceland is not native to the country as it was imported from North America in 1945 to combat topsoil loss, which had been a serious problem since the 19th century. The lupine has a tendency to create monocultures which both prevent other plants from growing and can suffocate more delicate flora.
Roundup unlikely to provide the final solution to the lupine problem
Despite having upped the ante in this war of extermination, Valur Þór Hilmarsson, the environmental director of Dalvík tells the local news site visir.is that he doubts the municipality will be able to declare complete victory: “We will perhaps not be able to exterminate the lupine completely, but the main thing is to keep it in check and use it in the correct places – it’s not all bad.”
The lupine, although very beautiful while in bloom, and an important ally in stopping topsoil loss and combat erosion, is an invasive species in Iceland, threatening local plant life.
