Elmstead Woods

Resident emailed 23/07/2024 12:24 . There is giant hogweed growing in the woods which is terrible- it should really be burnt or dug up removing the roots. If you google the burns it can cause and irritation- you will see how much of an awful plant this is. Really it needs doing as soon as possible as it has seed heads on and it wouldn’t be good for them to drop as well. Even if it turns out to be normal hogweed that itself does cause a terrible irritation to the skin and dogs paws so needs curtailing please. There are quite a few in one area so should be way to contain and not allow the spread. They are about 5-6ft tall already. They are actually easily located - if you go to the area near the cemetery- there is a footpath leading fromElmstead woods that to a park in Mottingham. These are very near there but you walk from that entrance and as such follow the woodland path past the cemetery - they are only a few steps away. 2. In that very same area is a thin but tall tree that has half fallen and is now clingy precariously, to another tree’s branch! - it might be wise to fell it properly in case it does suddenly go etc

3. The whole of the woods looks very very overgrown with brambles/ stingy nettles etc- I’ve never in 20 years seen it looking so bad. A number of pathways I took all over the woods were challenging at times- with brambles in your way etc- if a child ran through some, it would definitely hit there face and that would hurt somewhat. I got a number of scratches to my arms - trying to move them out of the way!!

Anyway, if you are men down for whatever reason, then please, please prioritise that awful hogweed! We mustn’t let that slip- even if a dog brushes past / adult or child all those little prickle