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Accepted Paper:
Industry, imperialism, invasion: rhododendron ponticum in northwest Wales
Alexa Spiwak
(University of Oslo)
By diving into the complicated biological and social histories of Rhododendron ponticum, and building on the concepts of new ecologies, heritage management, and care, this paper demonstrates that there may just be a justified place for these plants as a part of Northwest Wales' heritage landscapes.
Paper long abstract:
For years, volunteers in the small Welsh town of Blaenau Ffestiniog have waged war against an advancing front of invaders. Despite their Herculean efforts using chainsaws, woodchippers, and herbicides, the Rhododendron ponticum which blankets the derelict quarries and tips has decidedly won the upper hand. Decades of neglect allowed the hardy evergreen bush to spread out from the Victorian estate gardens in which they were planted, eventually finding a perfect niche in what the slate industry left behind. Now, as Northwest Wales has received UNESCO World Heritage designation and attempts to revitalize its economy through tourism, invasive "alien" species are seen not only as ecological menaces but also economic ones, causing damage to heritage assets, rendering the landscape illegible, and detracting from a very carefully curated industrial aesthetic. The narrative is that the rhododendron simply doesn’t belong in these industrial heritage landscapes — but is there a more affirmative alternative? By diving into the complicated biological and social histories of Rhododendron ponticum, and building on the concepts of new ecologies, heritage management, and care, it becomes apparent that there may, indeed, be a justified place for these plants as a part of heritage landscapes.