Highland Council sets out long-term plan for sustainable weed management

21st May 2026

At today’s meeting of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, Members approved a long-term approach to weed control that will reduce reliance on chemical herbicides, while maintaining safe, accessible public spaces and protecting biodiversity.

The new Integrated Weed Control Strategy and Action Plan builds on the Council’s partial ban on glyphosate-based products in playgrounds, schools and sports facilities, which was introduced in 2019.

Chair of the Communities and Place Committee, Cllr Graham MacKenzie, said: “This strategy is an important step forward in reducing our reliance on chemical weed control as we aim to source effective and affordable alternatives that would allow us to impose a complete ban on glyphosate-based products. The new strategy and action plan ensure we continue to reduce usage where we can, invest in greener solutions, and protect our natural environment for the future.”

The Integrated Weed Control Strategy and Action Plan aims to reduce chemical herbicide use whilst implementing non-chemical weed management methods which support the Council’s biodiversity and climate goals. It was developed following a successful visit from the HSE Pesticide Enforcement Officers in September 2024 and builds on the positive feedback received on the Council’s application, management and control of pesticides.

The Council’s long-term vision for weed control also involves allowing natural vegetation to flourish where appropriate, greater control of invasive non-native species and increased community engagement in sustainable land management practices.

Any continued use of herbicides will remain strictly r