Fishing - Anglers Net - UK Angling Website, Magazine and Forum: Removing Himalayan Balsam From The Banks Of Our Rivers

Removing Himalayan Balsam From The Banks Of Our Rivers
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Elton Murphy on 28 June, 2010 03:20:00
 
Himalayan balsam is being pulled from the banks of some of our local rivers to
help protect wildlife.  Enthusiastic volunteers have set about removing this
invasive plant from riverside woodlands around Penrith.
One balsam pulling day has already taken place, organised by Eden Rivers Trust,
and several more are coming up soon.  The event was well attended by local
people willing to get a little hot and sticky to help the wildlife of our
rivers!  The event took place on the banks of the Old Petteril at Calthwaite
near Penrith.
The Soroptimists have been very active in helping Eden Rivers Trust tackle
Himalayan balsam.  Penrith Soroptimists came out on the pull last year, clearing
a large area of woodland on the Old Petteril, and have another event organised
for this July.  Members from Carlisle (and one of their husbands!), who had done
a tremendous job last year pulling out thousands of balsam plants on the River
Irthing, came to assist in the Penrith area this year.
Himalayan balsam is a relative of the Busy Lizzie and is known by a number of
common names including policeman’s helmet and stinky-pops.  It is a tall
annual plant, reaching up to 3 m, and produces clusters of purplish pink
helmet-shaped flowers with a sickly sweet smell, hence its common names!
It was introduced into this country in 1839 from the Himalayas as an ornamental
plant for gardens.  Unfortunately our climate suited it well and it escaped from
gardens and spread rapidly throughout the country, especially along waterways.
Its aggressive nature means that it out competes native plants along river
banks and forms dense stands, and in autumn when the plants die back it leaves
banks bare of vegetation and vulnerable to erosion.
There are various means of controlling this plant, including spraying and
cutting, but in sensitive habitats such as along rivers, hand pulling is an
effective method.
Joanne Backshall, Conservation Officer for Eden Rivers Trust said, “We had a
great turn out for our balsam pulling day, and look forward to seeing more
people at our future events.  The day was fine and sunny, and everyone did a
fantastic job, clearing large areas of this problematic plant.”
Further balsam pulling volunteer days are arranged and the details are as
follows:
Wednesday 30 June - River Petteril - with Cumbria Wildlife Trust in Wreay Woods
Saturday 3 July - 10.30 am - River Irthing at Lanercost
Monday 5 July - 6 pm - Penrith Soroptimists event - River Petteril near
Calthwaite
Thursday 8 July - 10.30 am - River Petteril near Calthwaite
Wednesday 14 July - River Petteril - with Cumbria Wildlife Trust in Wreay Woods
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To come along or for more details contact Joanne Backshall at Eden Rivers Trust
on 01768 866788 or email joanne@edenriverstrust.org.uk.  To join in the Cumbria
Wildlife Trust events, contact Morag Angus via email
moraga@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk