Rhodo bashers to the rescue as invader is turned into BBQ fodder

You could call him 'Rhodo Cop', but he prefers to be known as a ranger - and his number one target is the rhododendron. It is not all destruction, though, because the final outcome is great for summer barbecues.

The 5,000 acres of land looked after by the National Trust for Scotland at Ben Lomond has been gradually choked by the shrub, which can grow more than 10ft tall, for 200 years.

But now Mr Eckersall and his team of volunteers are at work ripping out the giant plants and turning them into barbecue bar charcoal.

"The rhododendrons is a big issue," said Mr Eckersall. "The west of Scotland suits it so much - the climate, the damp.

"Once it gets established it grows quite quickly and readily and when it grows into the woods it just takes over completely. It shades out other plants so once rhododendron comes into woodland you lose your original woodland flora.

"We've been removing it from the oak woods, but have had to find ways of getting rid of it. Rather than just burning it on bonfires we have been making barbecue charcoal from it. We are making something useful out of something which is otherwise a weed."

Once Mr Eckersall has the plant out of the ground and into his large metal kiln it takes between 12 and 20 hours to gently burn the wood into charcoal. It is then another 24 hours before it can be hauled out and bagged up. This is the really messy bit, said Mr Eckersall. "You end up looking like a Victorian coalman."

As a National Trust for Scotland ranger Mr Eckersall is keen to see Ben Lomond's environment as natural as possible and that means the rhododendron has to go.

But the spin off from selling the charcoal means that upgrades to paths on Scotland's most southerly Munro, woodland management and even more "rhodo bashing" can be carried out.

The 4kg bags of charcoal sell for 5 (half bags are 3) and the money goes straight back to help pay for vital environmental work at Ben Lomond.

Mr Eckersall said: "We sell a fair bit locally to B&Bs and campsites and we also take it to Highland Games to raise the profile of the Trust."

He added: "It burns nice and hot, readily and evenly, you don't have to worry about it going out. Some folk worry about the fact that rhododendron has got toxicity, but that is got rid of through the kiln and you are left with carbon, so there is no aroma.

"We have a small but loyal bunch of return customers who reckon it's the best charcoal they have used.

And it's also got just about more environmentally friendly credentials than any other barbecue charcoal you are going to get anywhere."

To totally eradicate rhododendron, however, everyone needs to help, Mr Eckersall said.

The seeds are the key and they can spread from gardens many miles way. "Ideally you need to knock all the seed sources on the head which is difficult because there are obviously lots of folk with their own gardens who are quite fond of their rhododendron.

"We can go and eradicate large seed sources like we have done on the east side of Loch Lomond, but as long as there are small bushes remaining in people's gardens or on the other side of the loch the ground is still at risk in the future. The hardest part of the job is going to be persuading folk it is something we really need to get rid of completely."z