balsam bash

Having a bash at keeping an invader at bay

August 2016

A NANTWICH CIVIC SOCIETY PAGE

This attractive plant, enjoyed by people walking on riverbanks in the Riverside area of Nantwich, is a pest of the first order.

Wherever it takes root other, native, species of plants are overwhelmed

All pictures:

Nantwich Civic Society

JEFF STUBBS, Chairman of Nantwich Civic Society, tells how thousands of pretty pink and white plants were destroyed

HIMALAYAN Balsam has spread along the river Weaver's banks in and around town very quickly over the past couple of years.

Whilst it may look quite pretty with its pink and white flowers atop tall hollow stems, it grows so quickly and thickly that it kills off our local native plants that our wildlife needs.

This is not the poisonous variety which burns the skin, but it is invasive. It's a national problem, presenting huge difficulties for the Environment Agency, the Canal and River Trust, etc.

Here in Nantwich, several groups of volunteers got together to make a start on clearing this invasive plant in

a “Balsam Bash”.
Building upon successful volunteering events earlier this year near to the Aqueduct, 11 volunteers from the Nantwich Civic Society, the Rotary Club of Nantwich and Nantwich Litter Group got together one Thursday

morning in August and cleared areas along the River Weaver from Nantwich Lake working towards the town centre.

We cleared getting on for 1,000 plants in just over an hour and a half.

Cheshire East Council's Ansa company advised us on the best practice - and they later took the plants away.

We need to tackle even more areas soon. For instance, there are some big areas from the Community Orchard area behind Shrewbridge Road along to Mill Island and downstream.

AUGUST 26

THIS morning, we completed the task we had set

ourselves - i.e. pulling up all the balsam we could safely reach from Welsh Row Bridge upstream to the lake.

Members of a team of local volunteers who met on the 11th in the Riverside to tackle the Balsam

Why is it a Balsam Bash?

Jeff explained: The word Bash comes from a national slogan - no doubt from the need to find a good sounding name - two B's - rather than the less attention-grabbing Balsam Pull! We don't bash it at all - just pull it out and pile it up. Then Ansa from Cheshire East Council collect it when they are on their rounds.

What an achievement!

We had seven events, starting on 11th and 16th and then every morning in the week from August 22 to 26th.

With an average of 10 volunteers each time, we got up virtually every patch we could find - something I did not anticipate when I planned it. With over 110 volunteer hours spent, the volunteers all deserve a huge "Thank You", for their efforts and enthusiasm.

We shall need to tackle the balsam again next

year (and every year, if we can) - but we shall be better informed and organised - with hopefully less to pull.

Thanks go, of course, to everyone who has been involved - a staggering number of volunteers have turned out when they could.

This was a joint effort organised by Nantwich Civic Society, with volunteers from the Rotary Club of Nantwich, Nantwich Litter Group, Nantwich in Bloom, Nantwich Civic Society and Greenspaces South Cheshire.

A true community partnership effort.

lALL you need to take part in a Balsam Bash is a pair of gloves and stout boots. Long sleeves and long trousers, of course, as there are nettles present.

We aim to do a shift of about an hour and a half to two hours, but feel free to come for half an hour if that's all you can spare. It is surprisingly satisfying to see how much can be cleared! Every bit helps.

Three cheers for a job well done. Volunteers on the last day of this year's bashes in happy mood

Below: volunteers bashing away

The result of the Bash on the 11th. Some of 1,000 plants that were pulled up await disposal.

Students bash the balsam | Community Orchard | Hotel and apartments plan (Nantwich News website) | More pictures of Nantwich from the air

Greenspaces South Cheshire CIC | Nantwich Litter Group | Nantwich in Bloom | Civic Society index page

OTHER NANTWICH CIVIC SOCIETY PAGES

Also: Societies get together to tidy the town

Other interesting items are: A new group steps in to continue the Riverside Project (A Letter from Nantwich) | Tales from the Riverside

Contact Nantwich Civic Society via Nantwich Museum, Pillory Street,

Nantwich, CW5 5BQ

Nantwich Civic Society can be found on the Civic Voice website. Civic Voice

took on the work of the former National Civic Society which closed down

a few years ago.