Help needed please

Brightling has increasing areas of a potentially invasive plant growing along our riverbanks and roadside verges. It spreads quickly, particularly along water courses where its seeds float downstream, and can outcompete native plants both by colonising large areas of ground, and by diverting pollinators away from other plants that flower at the same time.  

The plant is Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifolia) and on the morning of Saturday 11 July from 9.30am Jamie Smith, a local resident will lead a working party at Oxley’s Green to pull up as many balsam plants as possible. Being an annual, when balsam is uprooted that particular plant will die; pulling before the plants flower and have a chance to set seed is a great first step to controlling its spread. Balsam is shallow-rooted, so pulling is not too onerous, and refreshments will be provided.

We hope you can help us with this practical effort to support biodiversity in our area. 

If you can help, even if it is just for an hour, please let us know, and bring your gardening gloves. 

brightlingenvironmentgroup@gmail.com