Bashing is not usually a word with positive connotations, but when it comes to Himalayan balsam, a non-native invasive plant, bashing is just what’s needed. The Species Survival Fund project, Thriving in a Wilder Trent has engaged communities to get together to help keep this invasive plant at bay this season – with balsam bashing sessions at a range of sites.

The Thriving in a Wilder Trent project is funded by the Species Survival Fund via the UK Government and Heritage Fund, plus match funded by Severn Trent and delivered through partners Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Gedling Conservation Trust, Nottingham City Council, Canal and River Trust, and Trent Rivers Trust. It aims to benefit numerous species associated with wetland habitats in the area.

A Pink Mile Challenge at Netherfield Lagoons was set up along with Gedling Conservation Trust who alerted Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to an on-gong challenge with balsam close to the project site. The collaboration took up the challenge of getting local people involved in clearing a mile of balsam in the area and Pink Mile (so called in honour of the flower) successfully delivered over a hundred hours with a value of almost £1500 through volunteering. Pink Mile stickers were designed and awarded to those who volunteered to help from May through July – with their last session scheduled for Wednesday July 30th. This activity will now become a legacy event of the project in future years.

Volunteers from the Martin Jackaman Centre, which provides support for people with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities, are supporting Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts’ work at Attenborough Nature Reserve every Tuesday - when a group take on tasks that make a big difference to their own wellbeing and, of course, to wildlife. Volunteers are helping to clear paths, remove Himalayan balsam, and undertake tasks that improve visitor experience. In return, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been supporting the MJC’s Garden Club with tailored ecological advice to further enhance their green space as a wildlife haven. MJC had already put in a wildlife pond, created a mini hedgehog wood, a bug hotel and put up nest boxes. 

To date, the project has seen 1740 hours and counting of work to protect species equating to a value of £34,800 in volunteer contributions – underlining that volunteering is a cost-effective way of supporting wildlife recovery by providing, time and skills – whilst also providing health and wellbeing opportunities to the volunteers.