Balsam removal, back for the sequel

Baslam removal, back for the sequel

Hey, -

Last week, we swapped the office for the woods and returned to a site we first visited in 2025 to continue removing Himalayan balsam.

Introduced by the Victorians in 1839, Himalayan balsam is an invasive plant that can dominate and outcompete our native woodland species. In our efforts to help our woodlands in the UK, it is important to remove this invasive plant to allow our native species to thrive. 

Our approach this time was to get stuck in and remove as many plants as possible across the widest area, rather than focusing on pulling every single one. While this means some plants may remain, it greatly reduces the number able to flower and spread later in the season. We also intend to return to this area later in the year to remove the remaining plants. 

A big thanks to the guys at Cumbria Woodlands and The Lake District National Park for their continued help with our environmental work.