By Chris Bowen

From time to time over the last few years, GVS have undertaken a conservation task to protect the wonderful environment that we are lucky to be able to run through. We have carried out drainage work on Bleaklow, rhododendron removal in the Goyt Valley and more recently Himalayan Balsam removal in Hillbridge and Park Wood. With our focus on sustainability, the committee thought that a new project might be in order.

Several of us had notice the vast amount of Himalayan Balsam growing around Combs Reservoir so we decided that tackling this would be an appropriate thing to do, especially as several members also swim in Combs. We contacted the Canal and Rivers Trust and two dates were set to start work.

So what is Himalayan Balsam and what is the problem with it?

Himalayan Balsam has become one of the UK’s most invasive weed species. It colonises river banks, waste ground and damp woodlands. It out-competes native plant species for space, light and nutrients and excludes other plants, reducing biodiversity. It dies back in winter leaving bare banks liable to erosion and increases the risk of flooding. It was introduced to the UK as a garden plant but quickly spread and got established in the wild.

The first day was a lovely sunny, warm Friday morning and around ten GVS members along with C&RT, sailing club members, swimmers and Ruth George cleared the balsam from the wooded area behind the dam wall car park. It pulls up easily and all we had to do was make big piles of the stuff which will rot down. Apparently, each plant can produce 800 seeds so its important to get it pulled up in June/July when the plant is easily identified but not producing seed. There was lots more to do along the new footpath so we set another date for the following Saturday. Unfortunately, it was a very wet morning with thunder and lightning and it was also a busy weekend with a championship race in the Lakes and the Big Stone fell races more locally. In spite of all this, five hardy souls turned out and pulled a vast amount of balsam getting nettled and thistle (not to mention soaked through) in the process.

The task is by no means finished and we will probably have to leave it for this year now as we are running out of time but we have made a big dent in it, although there’s lots left. Hopefully, we can get out there again next year with more volunteers and see if we can cover the areas that we didn’t get to. It is very satisfying to see the balsam in vast heaps on the ground and to know that you are contributing to a helping protect and improve a local area.