Himalayan Balsam pulling season

Each summer, Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) appears again along riverbanks throughout the Aire catchment, and for our volunteers, that means balsam-pulling season is back.

At first glance, this tall plant with its bright pink flowers may seem attractive, but it is actually a problematic ‘invasive non-native species’, that negatively affects our rivers and watercourses. An invasive non-native species is a plant or animal that has been introduced to a country or area, spreads rapidly and causes harm to its new environment.

Volunteers at the Aire Rivers Trust therefore spend the early summer months taking part in one of our most important and satisfying conservation activities – balsam pulling, also known as ‘balsam bashing’.

Why is Himalayan Balsam a problem?

Originally introduced to the UK as an ornamental garden plant, Himalayan balsam spreads rapidly along river corridors, canals and transport networks like railways and roads. It grows quickly from spring onwards, forms dense stands, and crowds out native vegetation, reducing biodiversity and leaving little space for wildflowers and other important riverbank plants.

In winter, unlike many native species, Himalayan balsam dies back completely, leaving bare soil exposed along riverbanks. Without deep-rooted vegetation to hold the soil together, banks become vulnerable to erosion during periods of high water and flooding.

Each plant can produce hundreds of seeds, which burst out of the seed pods in mid-late summer and spread far and wide, being carried downstream by rivers. This means that the plants (and the problem!) spread each year.

The power of volunteers

Despite being problematic for wildlife, Himalayan balsam is one of the easier invasive species to tackle. Its shallow root system means it can be easily removed by hand, simply pulling the plant from the bottom of the stem, before it sets seed. Every summer, volunteers from the Aire Rivers Trust head out to riverbanks, smaller becks and woodlands across the catchment to remove balsam and give native plants a chance to thrive again. These sessions are not only beneficial for local wildlife but are also a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, meet like-minded people and make a visible difference to the local environment.

A volunteer removing balsam from the riverbank

A small group of volunteers working to remove balsam from the riverbank

A catchment-wide approach

Managing invasive species requires working together and repeating the task each year. Seeds can travel long distances along rivers, so successful control relies on communities, landowners and volunteers working together across the entire catchment, over consecutive years. Many Rivers Trusts across the UK have shown that sustained annual balsam-pulling efforts can dramatically reduce the plant’s presence and allow native habitats to recover.

A group of volunteers celebrating their balsam bashing efforts — Himalayan balsam pulling is an easy activity suitable for all ages

Get involved

So far this year, we have pulled balsam at Fagley Beck in Ravenscliffe, Hawkstone, Chellow Dene and Pitty Beck, with more areas coming up in July. Some of these volunteer days been a part of our Roots in the River Project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thank you to the National Lottery, and a huge thank you to all of our volunteers for making this possible!

Whether you volunteer regularly or are looking to join us for the first time, balsam pulling is a great way to help nature in your area. No specific experience is required, and our team will help you with identifying and safely removing the plant. Sign up to volunteer here: Volunteer with Us – Aire Rivers Trust

Northcliffe Dike NFM

Trench Meadows – helping an SSSI recover

Trench Meadows is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) off Higher Coach Road next to Load Pit Beck and not far from Shipley Glen. The site contains 4.7 hectares of lowland meadow – a nationally rare habitat. The grasses in the neutral grassland on the site include red fescue, sweet vernal and crested dog’s-tail; wildflowers include herb black knapweed and bird’s-foot trefoil. Devil’s Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) also indicates the importance of this species-rich grassland. The land adjacent to the meadow is designated as a wet woodland with common alder being the dominant tree species.

Purple wildflower near riverbank in green landscape.

Vibrant wildflower meadow supporting local wildlife along the Aire River.

The site is owned by the City of Bradford District Council and managed by The Countryside Service, with support from the Aire Rivers Trust. Aire Rivers Trust volunteers have carried out several tasks on both the meadow and in the wet woodland including Himalayan balsam removal, scrub clearance and hedgerow maintenance.

Volunteers make a difference

To date, Aire Rivers Trust volunteers have contributed 335 volunteer hours. 540m² of scrub has been cleared, which otherwise would have resulted in the meadow becoming woodland. 900m² of Himalayan balsam have been pulled across the site. The holly hedgerow on Coach Road Bridleway has been improved to provide habitat and act as a stock-proof barrier. Aire Rivers Trust works in partnership with several organisations. West Yorkshire Combined Authority, WSP and Keighley College have all contributed volunteer time to carry out practical environmental tasks.

A local farmer grazes the site, with cattle selectively grazing scrub, keeping down bramble encroachment and providing soil improvements. Bradford Council Countryside service has also undertaken willow thinning on-site to prevent woodland succession.

Cattle grazing near river bank to promote healthy river ecosystems and habitat management.

The site has permissive access for the public and visitors are encouraged to stick to the path and keep their dogs on the lead to prevent disturbance of wildlife and prevent dog fouling. The Trust will continue to carry out management works on-site. To find out more please visit our volunteer website: Volunteer with Us – Aire Rivers Trust

For more information about Trench Meadows please follow these links:
Bradford Botany Group – Trench Meadows SSSI, Baildon
Meet your local SSSI

Always stick to The Countryside Code

River Worth Improvement Plan

Help stop the spread

A volunteer from the Aire Rivers Trust, Robert Hellawell, was surprised to find an unwelcome new creature in his sample of river bugs from the River Aire.

Robert is one of a network of riverfly monitors who survey invertebrates in their local river as part of ARMI, the Anglers Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. These volunteers from environmental charities and angling clubs use the different species of bugs they find to tell them how healthy the river is. These creatures who live in the gravel at the bottom of the river are sensitive to pollution and tell a story of hidden pollution between monthly samples that occasional water samples would never reveal. They are excellent indicators of sewage and chemical spills, and their disappearances triggers further investigation by volunteers as well as the Environment Agency.

A demon shrimp found in the River Aire at Baildon.

Robert is one of a number of citizen scientist that the Aire Rivers Trust supports. He often shares his finds on Facebook as the Urban Pollution Hunter.

An unwelcome discovery

Robert’s eye was caught by an unusual new creature when he sampled the river in Baildon, so he contacted the Environment Agency. They confirm that it is a Demon shrimp, Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. Originally from the Black Sea it was probably brought here by accident in water brought as ballast by ships. Although it has been found in the River below Swillington in 2016. This is the first sighting of it this far up the Aire. Demon shrimp are aggressive predators that will hunt other river bugs causing problems for the wildlife in the river that rely on them for food. They are not a risk to humans or dogs.

“If you see things that concern you along our river, like pollution, we encourage you to ring the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. This is a great example of the power of citizen scientists in helping us understand our river and preventing harm to it.”
Simon Watts, from the Aire River’s Trust.

Two fish leap in a graphic that divides text

Your actions can make a difference

Experts from the Environment Agency and the Aire Rivers Trust are urging river users to help stop the spread of invasive non-native plants and animals.

“At the Environment Agency we really value the contribution of citizen scientists who share our passion for the environment, and this is a great example of how they are providing really important and valuable data.

“Demon shrimp were already known to be prolific in the canal system, and have previously been found at one site lower down the River Aire. Robert’s findings add to our knowledge base of the movements of Demon shrimp in the catchment and will alert other river users and samplers to also look out for this species in neighbouring areas.”
Rachel Spry, an Environment Officer for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire.

The Environment Agency is urging people to ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ their clothing and equipment after visiting local rivers to avoid transferring the Demons shrimp between watercourses.

Why we are asking all river users to Check, Clean, Dry

“Invasive and non-native species such as these can have a damaging impact on native plants, animals and ecosystems by spreading disease, competing for habitat and food and by direct predation. We’d urge people to help prevent the spread of invasives between watercourses by following the simple ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ to thoroughly clean and dry clothes and equipment that has been in contact with the water.”

Anything that has contact with the water and riverbank needs to be cleaned thoroughly and dried until it has been dry for 48 hours. If this is not possible, cleaning and the use of an environmentally friendly aquatic disinfectant is recommended. This will make sure all aquatic diseases and invasive species are killed. More information can be found on the Invasive non-native species website