‘Outdated’ thistle law is a thorny issue
Things have changed since the thistle was banned in Flanders, to help prevent tetanus infection among farm labourers – but the law remains, and Natuurpunt would like to see it removed from the statute books
Prickly problem
But don’t worry too much. Most municipalities no longer enforce this antique piece of legislation, if they’re even aware of its existence at all. The law dates from 1887, an era where being a farmer meant breaking your back in the fields, according to Roosmarijn Steemans, a member of the scientific staff of nature conservation group Natuurpunt who specialises in native plants.
“A that time, a lot of the work was manual labour, and farmers would use manure from horse stables,” she points out. “So the small wounds caused by thistles would easily become infected with tetanus. That’s what led to the law that obliges landowners to remove thistle from their property.”
Needless to say, things have changed over the past century, and thistles are no match for our contemporary agricultural machinery. But from time to time the old law resurfaces. Recently, veteran politician Herman De Croo wrote to all 308 Flemish municipalities with the advice that they should soldier on against the thistle.
It makes no sense, Steemans says. “The law is obviously outdated. Most municipalities don’t enforce it. Neighbouring countries that had similar laws crossed them out of the law book long time ago. It’s typical of Belgium that we’re still saddled with this juridical relic from a distant past.”
Good neighbours
The problem is that thistles play an important role in the ecosystem. They provide nectar to bees, beetles and other insects, while birds feast on their nutritious seeds. A lot of insects, including numerous butterfly species, use the thistle as a host plant, which means it has an indispensable role in their procreation cycles.
Nature in Flanders isn’t doing well, in particular due to loss of habitat. Agricultural fields and private gardens often have very little to offer to insects and birds. All the more reason to grant the thistle a place in the Flemish landscape.
Simple control measures are sufficient to hamper the growth of thistles
Natuurpunt strives for good neighbourly relations with the farmers and landowners next to the nature reserves under its management, so thistles are removed from the fringes of reserves from time to time.
“Simple control measures are sufficient to hamper the growth of thistles,” Steemans explains, “like avoiding mowing with heavy machinery that leaves bare spots in the grasslands, which are a perfect place thistles to take root. But we would like to see this obsolete law disappear. Instead, the focus should be on combating invasive species like the giant hogweed or Japanese knotweed.”
In fact, Europe has recently made a first move to establish a common policy on invasive species which could harm local ecosystems. A list was published in July with 37 plant and animal species requiring attention. It sets out the obligations of the authorities to control or eradicate certain populations in order to safeguard Europe’s biodiversity.
Both the federal and Flemish governments have mapped out policies on invasive species. But it is time to rehabilitate the thistle as well, according to Steemans. “The thistle suffers from an image problem, just like many other weeds. It’s wild, unplanned and thorny. We need to see its real beauty and its value for our ecosystem.”
Photo: fir0002/Wikimedia Commons
