The Robson Meeting
Annual aquatic weed ecology and control conferences
The Dolphin Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire,
February 15th and 16th, 2011
The Aquatic Weeds Unit of the Weeds Research Organisation was established in 1963 to undertake research into new methods of controlling aquatic weeds. The Head of the Unit was Dale Robson. Research at the time concentrated on chemical control for emergent weeds in the UK because a lot of new pesticides were being developed at the time, including 2,4-D, dalapon, diquat and various others that we no-longer have available to us. The unit was funded by MAFF as all the grade one agricultural land in the UK was pump-drained and ditches and drains needed to be kept clear of weeds for efficient irrigation and flood defence purposes.
Dale soon realised that his research was of interest to operating authorities, including Internal Drainage Boards, MAFF Engineers and almost everyone with an interest in managing plants in waterbodies. He organised a meeting in 1968 to which about 30 people were invited. The meeting grew in numbers and stature and in about 1972 it was christened the Robson Meeting.
At first, the meeting was always held at the WRO in Oxford, but soon it started to move around the country to take account of the fact that some local engineers could not afford the time to travel to distant parts of the country. This was also used an opportunity to see different weed types in different areas.