Pesticides and other –icides – getting maximum effectiveness and minimum environmental damage.

Pesticides, which includes herbicides, insecticides and any other ”icide” are useful tools on the smallholding, but the clue is in the name-they are there to kill something! As responsible smallholders, if we use these products we want to ensure that the job is done with maximum effectiveness and minimum impact on the environment. And we want to stay within the law.

In his talk, Wull wlll cover the relevant legislation, plus he’ll cover the practical aspects of risk assessment and management around storage, filling & mixing, application and cleaning out / disposal.

Wull Dryburgh was born and brought up in Duns, Berwickshire. He studied Chemistry at Napier College (now University!) then held several technical posts before joining the Tweed River Purification Board in 1990, as an Assistant Pollution Prevention Officer. In 1996 TRPB became part of SEPA, and Wull worked in a number of posts, becoming part of a team of agricultural pollution specialists in the National Rural Unit of SEPA.

Since joining the Agriculture team in 2005, he’s worked with farmers all over Scotland, and since 2009 he’s been involved in working in the Diffuse Pollution Priority Catchments. Wull is currently Catchment Coordinator for many catchments in Eastern Scotland, which include the River South Esk, River Tay, River Eden, Dighty Water, Eye Water, River Tyne etc. In this role, he is the point of contact for land managers in these catchments, and organises and carries out farm visits to assess the diffuse pollution (i.e. land run-off) risk at each farm, and where necessary suggest improvements to prevent diffuse pollution risks, which may ultimately include enforcement.

Happily married for 32 years to Penny, they have three grown up children and one very small grandson and now live in Swinton, Berwickshire (about 6 miles away from where he was born!)