Return to the Groves of Balsam

 After the soggy foray two weeks ago into the domain of the pernicious Himalayan Balsam, it fell to Team Leaders Julie and Margaret to finish the job off a couple of days ago. A team comprising of only team leaders eh? Perhaps they concentrated too much on appraising each other’s performance and productivity, or maybe they were admiring each other’s party outfits…

At least it didn’t rain on them…but as the photo shows they got soaked anyway in the reed…which is about double the height it was a week and a half before!

Being dedicated types, they still managed to admire the other vegetation, being particularly impressed by the ragged robin and orchids making their re-appearance.

Despite those heroic efforts, it turned out there was yet more Balsam to bash. And so it was that the legions were summoned, with their wellies attached, to make further inroads today. There were seven of us, and were pleased we cleared all we found in the limited patch we covered – but we know plenty more is lurking elsewhere, and will have to be dealt with later.

At the start, Team Leader Margaret spotted a target and plunged into the reeds, from where she directed us to where we were really meant to be.

Here’s what we were looking for: although it can look similar to other plants growing with it, once you get your eye in it’s easy to spot which needs removing.

Even so, it’s depressing to think you have cleared a patch, only to turn round and spot more that you have missed. They seem to gather particularly closely under trees:

Some are still tiny, but the idea is to get them out too. Some however are already quite tall: here’s your correspondent with the biggest of the day. (The fact that the said correspondent is never described as tall should be ignored for the purposes of this boast.)

Although the balsam is generally not as tall as that yet, the reeds certainly are, and it’s easy to lose sight of your fellow balsam bashers. Perhaps we should be roped together, like mountaineers.

Sharp-eyed Team Leader Julie spotted this splendid Drinker moth caterpillar, sadly not doing something helpful like eating any balsam:

There’s no traditional tea break image today - because we didn’t have one - but the session was only for an hour, which is about as much as our creaking backs can stand. At the end of it all, the ritual tipping out of the sacks was carried out, accompanied by restrained whoops of delight in place of a fanfare.

Here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

A huge thank you to the seven who came  on what turned out to be a lovely sunny morning. The job you did today was so important as it has reduced the chance of the dread Balsam escaping further into the SSSI. Despite the back bending work there was as always great atmosphere. We intend to run another session next Sunday this time fording the stream. So if you are up for extreme sports do join us.

Thank you all again.

Margaret for the team leaders.