One of our priorities for nature restoration across Chiddingly parish is the eradication of invasive species. So far we have received funding from the Lund Trust for one project that has cleared around 7 acres of highly invasive Himalayan Balsam from the banks of the Bull River. With help from the Waterlife Recovery Trust, we are also working towards the restoration of habitats for water voles along our rivers and streams. You can read more about the projects here.
Tackling Himalayan Balsam
Himalayan Balsam is an invasive non-native plant that grows along river margins and in damp places. It can grow as densely as a bamboo thicket and is so vigorous that it out-competes and smothers all other plants. In a single season it can grow 2-3 m tall and produce 300 to 400 seeds per plant in pods that explode and fire the seed to a distance of 7 m. The seeds also spread downstream and are deposited on river banks and flooded land.
Himalayan Balsam can quickly take over river valleys and water meadows and, whilst the flowers are very beautiful and attractive to bees, it has a significant negative impact on wildflowers and insect biodiversity. In the winter, balsam dies down to nothing, leaving exposed soil that is subject to erosion causing damage to the riverbanks.
Himalayan Balsam can quickly take over river valleys and water meadows and, whilst the flowers are very beautiful and attractive to bees, it has a significant negative impact on wildflowers and insect biodiversity. In the winter, balsam dies down to nothing, leaving exposed soil that is subject to erosion causing damage to the riverbanks.
Stands of invasive Himalayan Balsam had taken over large areas of the water meadow at Stream Mill Smallholding near Chiddingly (image: Andrew Denning)
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If allowed to establish, Himalayan Balsam can rapidly crowd out other plant species, effectively creating a monoculture (image: Andrew Denning)
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Chiddingly farmer, Helen Denning, of Stream Mill Smallholding, is a pro at tackling this beautiful but pesky plant. Here she gives some tips for helping to eradicate it from our waterways:
Helen says: "The most effective way to control Himalayan Balsam is to bash it or cut it down once it is flowering but before it sets seed. This is usually mid to late July. The best tool we have found is a length of roofing batten, as the weight and corners help to cut through stems very easily. There will be some regrowth that will need re-bashing in subsequent years, but this is generally much weaker and with fewer flowers. The lower you can cut through the plants the less the regrowth will be. Himalayan Balsam is an annual and so grows from seed every year. Seeds can survive in the soil for up to 2 years, so control needs to be carried out each summer for about five years. However, as we are showing, it is possible to eradicate the plant from large areas of land."
Helen says: "The most effective way to control Himalayan Balsam is to bash it or cut it down once it is flowering but before it sets seed. This is usually mid to late July. The best tool we have found is a length of roofing batten, as the weight and corners help to cut through stems very easily. There will be some regrowth that will need re-bashing in subsequent years, but this is generally much weaker and with fewer flowers. The lower you can cut through the plants the less the regrowth will be. Himalayan Balsam is an annual and so grows from seed every year. Seeds can survive in the soil for up to 2 years, so control needs to be carried out each summer for about five years. However, as we are showing, it is possible to eradicate the plant from large areas of land."
Part of the seven acre area of invasive Himalayan Balsam on Stream Mill Smallholding cleared by members of The Conservation Volunteers in 2024, thanks to generous funding from The Lund Trust (image: Helen Denning)
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Native wildflower species such as Angelica, attractive to at least six species of insect as well as bees, have returned to areas formerly covered by Himalayan Balsam (image: Andrew Denning)
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Helen adds: "On the seven acres of land where we have been progressively eradicating a Himalayan Balsam jungle (with the help of The Conservation Volunteers), we have seen a few native wild flower species return every year. The insect species have increased as a consequence of the natural restoration of wetland wildflower meadows, with butterflies and moths enjoying the native flowers. Finally, bashing balsam is a great physical workout combined with excellent anger management therapy! It makes for a very satisfying volunteering day."
More information about Himalayan Balsam can be found on the Royal Horticultural Society website, including details of regulations relating to the control of this invasive species.
More information about Himalayan Balsam can be found on the Royal Horticultural Society website, including details of regulations relating to the control of this invasive species.
Restoring habitats for water voles
Water voles once populated the rivers and streams of the Cuckmere catchment. However, that is now not possible due to to the widespread presence of the highly invasive American Mink. The mink is a carnivore that was introduced into the UK in the 1950s for fur farming. It predates on a range of native aquatic and terrestrial species, including amphibians, reptiles and small mammals such as voles, rats, shrews and squirrels.
Water voles are a priority species for local nature recovery. To restore our native water vole population and the wider natural ecology of the Cuckmere River catchment we must eradicate the mink. This has already been achieved in other river catchments. For example, the Norfolk Broads in East Anglia is now effectively free of invasive mink.
Under the advice and guidance of the Waterlife Recovery Trust, and in collaboration with farmers and landowners in other parts of the Cuckmere catchment, we are beginning a programme of mink trapping using the latest generation of traps. The new traps are humane, safe and targeted and are monitored in real time by the Waterlife Recovery Trust. Please refer to the Waterlife Recovery Trust website for more information about mink eradication efforts across Britain.
Water voles are a priority species for local nature recovery. To restore our native water vole population and the wider natural ecology of the Cuckmere River catchment we must eradicate the mink. This has already been achieved in other river catchments. For example, the Norfolk Broads in East Anglia is now effectively free of invasive mink.
Under the advice and guidance of the Waterlife Recovery Trust, and in collaboration with farmers and landowners in other parts of the Cuckmere catchment, we are beginning a programme of mink trapping using the latest generation of traps. The new traps are humane, safe and targeted and are monitored in real time by the Waterlife Recovery Trust. Please refer to the Waterlife Recovery Trust website for more information about mink eradication efforts across Britain.