Nidderdale Conservation Volunteers' Blog: Dallow Gill and Gouthwaite Reservoir: 21-08-2018

OH NO - NOT MORE BALSAM PULLING!!!

😩

So went the thoughts of all the NCVs as they eagerly opened the weekly email from Liz, hoping that the task this week would involve something new and exciting - like laying gravel or erecting fences. They were soon to be disappointed. Balsam. Again.

However - the good news was that it would be likely to be the final time this year, as it is getting to a point where the plants are seeding and to continue would be like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

This week we were working in the catchment of the River Laver at Greygarth, Dallow Gill, removing the balsam that has invaded an area around some wild life ponds. A worthy cause indeed.

To try to make things more interesting we tried a little experiment. Instead of pulling the balsam up, we simply slashed it down, like bracken. With it being an annual plant, as long as we stop it setting seed then this will reduce the amount sprouting up next year. It is unlikely to grow up from its roots now to a sufficient height to seed before the plants start to die back. Apparently this technique has been used to good effect elsewhere by other volunteer groups.

Well - we gave it a go anyway. It was a much speedier method to use so appealed to the NCVs!

It was the pond on the left that needed attention.

It didn't look too bad - not much sign of pink flowers.

So, slashing equipment in hand, the NCVs

set off to inspect the task ahead at closer quarters.

On arrival their hearts sank.

There were swathes of pink flowers all around the pond.

Undaunted, David raised his slasher and began slashing.

A fine forward stroke took the balsam on the back foot.

Everyone joined in the fun...

...and soon the area looked like a balsam A&E centre.

Now - we know that this will not eradicate the problem, but as the balsam was already seeding the best we could do was to stop as many of the remaining flower heads as we could from setting seed.

By coffee time the bottom end of the pond was dealt with.

During coffee everyone had a smile on their face as:

(1) we were progressing nicely and....

...(2) Hilary had brought a tin of blackberry and coconut cake -

made that morning and tasting divine (thanks Hilary!)

After coffee it was back to the wall of HB

at the top end of the pond.

Here and there were clumps of look alike Greater willowherb.

This meant you had to stop slashing and start pulling.

Ros E. slashed the final balsam stem and that was it.....

.....12:10pm and the task was complete.

Wow! Incredible. From now on we need to consider

slashing down HB rather than pulling it up.

It certainly gets the job done in double quick time.

The Incredible Slashers pose for a photo shoot.

Then it was time for a quick Morris dance....

...before some serious biosecurity measures.

As the exploding balsam pods had sent seeds into hair,

boots and even underwear, Osian thought he might

rinse out his smalls in the trug to ensure he wasn't

responsible for the further spread of the seeds.

For a third time recently a little elite team went elsewhere to insert a post. This time it was to hold a video camera in front of the sand martin wall at Gouthwaite reservoir. The camera will allow interested parties to monitor the use of the wall.