Japanese knotweed, journalism and the general public

In the course of developing and delivering a management programme for Japanese knotweed ( Fallopia japonica ) the team involved had extensive interactions with the general public and journalists, both print and broadcast. The programme was unique in that the communication goal was not only getting across the message that the plant is a pest that needs management, but that a solution could be the introduction of a ‘beneficial pest’ – a difficult sell! This paper reviews the difficulties with getting these messages across, including those generated by journalists as well as those encountered with a general public with wide ranging levels of understanding and experience, instinctive reactions and lack of trust of scientists. In truth the job was relatively easy because Japanese knotweed has very few admirers or supporters and it was possible to build consensus that using another invasive species (albeit a specialist beneficial) was and remains a good idea despite this being a difficult novel concept to grasp. Japanese knotweed has a lot to teach us.