Volunteers Balsam Bashing

Early summer is balsam pulling season. This non native plant is highly invasive and extremely successful in out competing our native flora. It also, due to its habit of completely dying off in winter and leaving bare ground exposed, causes big problems of soil erosion and silt pollution along our waterways. Unfortunately we have several patches of Himalayan balsam causing these issues at Castle Woods National Nature Reserve. For this reason every year the Carmarthenshire volunteers pull up as much as is humanly possible.

Last week we were joined by the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire volunteers who provided a massive boost to our forces. Together we cleared an area swapped in balsam. We are very grateful for their help in tackling this problem plant.

Also this month we have had a meeting with National Resources Wales who are starting a project called Taclo’r Tywi, looking at the strategic management of Himalayan Balsam within the Tywi catchment. We shall look forward to working with NRW in the future on this valuable project.