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Lets all get out and pull some Himalayan Balsam

M

Martin James

Senior Member
Lets all get out and pull some Himalayan Balsam

Now is the time of the year, when our services are needed on the river bank. Its this time of the year when we anglers need to get out on the river bank and pull up the horrid invasive weed Himalayan Balsam. You must not cut the weed, it needs to be pulled up with its roots then cast aside to die. I make this please to all readers, please give up a few hours this weekend and get out and pull some balsam. Don't say you don't have time, make time. The only way we will get rid of this invasive weed is by pulling it from the earth. If I can get out on the river bank at 75 with my health problems so can everyone else. For the past couple of weeks I've given 2 to 3 hours of my time each day to this work. Over the past few years I have been up rooting this horrid weed, I now have long stretches of river bank without Himalayan Balsam. Please go out and do some work this weekend. Don't leave it to the few. Regards Martin
 
I hate these kind of dilemmas! Do we pull it for the sake of the native wild flowers or leave it for the sake of the bees???? :confused:
 
Natural England and the EA authorise a lot of killing of things but are blind to the future consequences i'm afraid. No bees or insects and therefore no pollenation of wild flowers, crops or anything.
 
Andrew Boyne said:
I hate these kind of dilemmas! Do we pull it for the sake of the native wild flowers or leave it for the sake of the bees???? :confused:
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There's only one way to find out - FIGHT!!
 
What ever is done now will be too little and too late. Action should have been taken 25 years ago when it may have been possible to slow it down. It is now just another import that we have to learn to live with like signal crayfish, mitten crabs, mink, western flower thrip, liriomiza huedobrensis, dutch elm disease, pepino mozaic virus, rhodododendron poniticum. The list goes on and at one time all were said to be a grave danger to the environment or British horticulture, but in the end we have had to accept that they are here, and cope with them.
 
Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a highly invasive annual weed, It has the ability to reduce biological diversity by out competing native plants for space, light and resources. Himalayan balsam spread is aided by prolific seed production coupled with a highly effective dispersal mechanism. Himalayan balsam can attain a height of 2.5 metres and when it invades the riverbank it forms monocultures shadowing out native plants and restricting access to the river.
In the autumn when the plant dies back it can leave the bank bare of supporting vegetation and prone to erosion, dead plant material can enter the water body thereby increasing the risk of flooding. During the summer months Himalayan balsam attracts pollinators away from native species with its high sugar nectar content and extended flowering period. This form of indirect competition can reduce the genetic diversity of native species and lessen their fitness by reducing seed set. The bees are so important to the human feed chain and they can be lost through this invasive weed
 
Sorry Martin ..don't believe all of that; in fact some of the quote is complete hype and rubbish!
I certainly won't be doing it in the 'treasured' angling close season when birds, wildfowl, fish, insects and wildlife are nesting, breeding and spawning and bankside vegetation recovering. I am sure angling club work parties unwittingly do more damage to the riverbank and river environment at this time of year than anyone else (EA an exception), and we don't need more disturbance at this critical time. Sometimes anglers are their own worst enemies.
 
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Colin Bridger said:
What ever is done now will be too little and too late. Action should have been taken 25 years ago when it may have been possible to slow it down. It is now just another import that we have to learn to live with like signal crayfish, mitten crabs, mink, western flower thrip, liriomiza huedobrensis, dutch elm disease, pepino mozaic virus, rhodododendron poniticum. The list goes on and at one time all were said to be a grave danger to the environment or British horticulture, but in the end we have had to accept that they are here, and cope with them.
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Fallopia japonica, this needs pulling!
 
Ray Walton said:
I am sure angling club work parties unwittingly do more damage to the riverbank and river environment at this time of year than anyone else (EA an exception), and we don't need more disturbance at this critical time. Sometimes anglers are their own worst enemies.
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I think that is pretty insulting to the many club organised work parties that do stuff at the appropriate time and in the appropriate ways (including during the coarse fish close season) that improves not only the quality of the fishing but also the wildlife along many of our rivers. This sort of generisation is really harmfull and could actively discourage many from taking part in properly organised work parties; as well as playing right into the hands of the ecomentalists who would prevent any human from setting foot in the countryside armed with anything other than a pair of binoculars and a copy of the Guardian.
There may be some clubs that do some harm, but these days they are in the minority and most clubs that I come into regular contact with on the Teme and the Severn do some really useful stuff...and all unpaid.
 
good points ,brought up, in the above questions, ,but who will make the final decision on this action is the ea or local council ????
 
Picking pink flowers shouldnt be angling clubs problem and has nothing to do with fishing at all. You need to stop the EA flood defence teams from there annual carnage uprooting riverbank trees and taking out bankside vegetation to stop erosion of riverbanks. Often club work parties are uneducated in such environmental subjects and just do it; ie follow the leader, as they have always done to make comfortable swims and access regardless to the consequences to wildlife and birds breeding, fish spawning and everything else at this time of year. Times are changing and you wont be able to get away with it much longer and clubs etc need to get their act together and learn quickly.
Most river anglers seem to want to keep the close season and preach to others stating the obvious reasons at every opportunity! However, they don't adhere and ignore it themselves in most cases!
 
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Pete Marshall; as well as playing right into the hands of the ecomentalists who would prevent any human from setting foot in the countryside armed with anything other than a pair of binoculars and a copy of the Guardian.[/QUOTE said:
Is the funniest line ive read on here for some time. Genuinely laughed out loud :)
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Right or wrong (according to Ray), you have to admire Martin's enthusiasm and passion. Good on you!

Personally, i think the balsam looks great in small amounts but that it does block everything else out when it really takes over. Now where are those gloves..........
 
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