TROTTING through the woods, Fenix could be any other dog out enjoying the late-autumn sunshine. But, as we turn into a large scrubby patch of land, Kat Janczur takes out a khaki harness and Fenix’s demeanour changes: the apparel signifies that work is about to begin. Miss Janczur gives the Dutch shepherd his instructions; after only a few minutes, he sits expectantly at a small bushy plant. We follow, eager to see the discovery. Miss Janczur delves into her pocket for a biscuit, which Fenix (above) happily gulps before he is dispatched to the next area of the site. His quarry is Japanese knotweed, an invasive non-native species that can become problematic if not appropriately managed and, under the 1990 Environmental Protection Act, must be removed by and disposed of by specialists.
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