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The battle against the balsam
Published: 24/06/2015
Volunteers are being urged to help fight the battle against Himalayan balsam.
On Thursday 2 July, at 6pm, the annual Alyn Valley Himalayan balsam control
project gets underway, with a 鈥榖alsam pull鈥� in Mold. The meeting point is at
the Rugby pitch at Leadmills in Mold, which is just off King street.
The project is now into its seventh year, and aims to rid the River Alyn of the
invasive plant Himalayan balsam. Thanks to the work done so far, there have
been significant, positive changes made along the River Alyn between Llandegla
and Mold. The banks are no longer dominated by pink Himalayan balsam and it has
been replaced by a variety of native grasses, rushes and wildflowers.
Cllr Bernie Attridge, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said:
鈥淲e are very grateful to all our volunteers who have made the project the
success that it has been so far, but we need everyone鈥檚 help again this year!
We are looking for as many volunteers as possible to get involved this year and
this launch event is a great way to get a taste for what needs doing.
鈥淭he first part of Thursday鈥檚 event will be the balsam pull, which will run for
about an hour, and then a buffet will be provided afterwards, to reward
everyone鈥檚 hard work.
Lawrence Gotts, Countryside Ranger for 天涯社区, said:
鈥淧lease join in, and help us win our determined battle against the balsam! The
event is open to the public, but it can be booked too 鈥� which will also help us
to plan numbers. For more information, or to book a place, please email
loggerheads.countrypark@denbighshire.gov.uk or call 01352 810586/614. Please
bring your wellies and gloves!鈥�
Notes for Editors
Himalayan balsam was first introduced into the British Isles in 1839 from the
Western Himalayas. A relative of the bedding plant 鈥楤usy Lizzie鈥�, you may also
know it as Indian balsam or Policeman鈥檚 helmet. Over recent years, the pink non
native plant has spread rapidly along our river and stream corridors. It can
grow up to 2m tall, is little use to native wildlife and will suffocate other
bankside vegetation, reducing biodiversity; it then dies back over winter,
leaving bare banks which are easily erode