|
|
Post by musselman on Feb 16, 2012 9:19:51 GMT
Are there any plans afoot on a nationwide basis to tackle the plague that is Himalayan Balsam or is it seen as a haven for wildlife and insects and therefore untouchable?
|
|
|
|
Post by binner on Feb 16, 2012 9:33:04 GMT
i would like to add to this if i may.
why are parts of the river dearne being totaly stripped of anything growing on the banks?
i understand that if say a tree had grown too large or laying accross stream it needs to be removed but on the parts along broomhill tree cutting has been caried out by a contractor and they have hacked every single tree and bush to the ground thus leaving no cover what so ever for the fish. this had also happened at darfield and along the river don in sheffield a year or two back
|
|
|
|
Post by NickLynch on Feb 16, 2012 9:56:16 GMT
I'll echo that Binner. It really is disgraceful at Broomhill. Flood defence my bottom, if it's going to flood then it'll flood, no matter how many trees are cut down.
|
|
|
|
Post by binner on Feb 16, 2012 9:59:37 GMT
can i just add also, it would seem this hase been brought to your attention before so sorry for bringing it up again, i was going to remove it but then thought you may like to know that the practice of hacking the banks bare is still an on-going problem
|
|
|
|
Post by binner on Feb 16, 2012 10:01:06 GMT
i agrre longshank, a lot of the trees removed at broomhill were not acctualy on the river bank or overhanging the water, some of them were right on top of the flood bank its self
|
|
|
|
Post by envagencyyorkshire on Mar 7, 2012 13:10:35 GMT
Himalayan balsam has recently been added to Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) making it an offence to allow it to spread in the wild. At present, in order to comply with the law we advise that all schemes and planning applications where balsam is present take measures to prevent it from spreading.
However, this plant is so widespread that any comprehensive control plan would be far too costly. There is research currently being undertaken into a biological control agent for this species. Until this happens (if it ever does) there is very little hope that we can eradicate this plant other than at specific sites.
It is actually very easy to control, via hand pulling before the plant flowers (from June onwards). We advise anyone to give this a go! Any benefits of balsam to wildlife (e.g. bees) are far outweighed by the damage it causes by out-competing our native flora.
Andrew Virtue
Biodiversity Officer
|
|
