Himalayan Balsam in Bewdley
Why is Himalayan Balsam (HB) a problem?
This non-native invasive plant is an innocuous-looking but pernicious threat to British wildlife.
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The ‘amazing exploding plant’ can fire hundreds of seeds up to 7 metres distant.
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It grows in such density that it out-competes most of our native plants and prevents their regrowth.
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It threatens the habitat of native animals.
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Because it dies back in winter, it leaves stream and river banks prone to erosion.
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In so doing, it reduces water quality.
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It smothers aquatic life, with an adverse impact on fish spawning grounds.
Not least, although it might look pretty and attract bees, it impedes visibility and access to our landscapes and riverscapes. It impacts negatively on our enjoyment of these special places.
The Bewdley Response
In 2017 Bewdley Civic Society established a Himalayan Balsam Management Group. Our aim was to eradicate HB from targeted riverside areas in the vicinity of the town. In recent years a biological deterrent of limited applicability has been developed, but the only practicable way to tackle it is by simply pulling it up.
Relying upon volunteer input, our method has been to organise annual summer campaigns to pull (and occasionally ‘bash’) HB where needed. Luckily the plant has a very shallow root system that makes it easy to uproot. It’s non-toxic and has no thorns, and it biodegrades very quickly and can be left in situ to rot down. Over the years we have developed a flexible approach built on early surveillance and then prompt action in response to changing growth patterns. It’s an ongoing process of course, but has proved highly successful.
Latest news
Nothing to report just now. Email us to ask about the next pulling session.
How Can You Help?
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If you can spare a few hours between June and September, join one of our organised pulling sessions. Email balsamvolunteers@gmail.com. No prior experience needed.
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Sign up to our active volunteer pool. There’s no specific time commitment. It’s a matter of who’s available at the time.
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If you’re walking the river bank, simply pull up plants as you go. Remember, every plant pulled is several hundred potential plants fewer next year.
A few hours pulling outdoors can be a very satisfying and therapeutic social experience.
Stay Safe
- Watch out for nettles and brambles which may be nearby.
- Do not attempt to reach plants on steep-sided banks or close to the water’s edge.
- Do not pull HB when it has finished flowering and set seeds, as this would spread it even further.
Register your interest
To register your interest, either as a volunteer to tackle HB or as a landowner keen to see it removed, contact us at balsamvolunteers@gmail.com.
More information
For more information about the plant, check out CABI. For more general information about invasive species, see the GB Non-native Species Secretariat.