tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2291301690444395842.post196974399017865174..comments2023-07-23T06:08:05.735+01:00Comments on Central and East Lakes Rangers: Dora's Field, Rydal. Invasive Control Work. Central & East Lakes Rangershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506625140290658005noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2291301690444395842.post-86590054851989853422015-07-25T21:15:38.449+01:002015-07-25T21:15:38.449+01:00Thanks for your comments. There is strong empirica...Thanks for your comments. There is strong empirical evidence that Himalayan Balsam is able to suppress native species and contribute to river bank erosion. A large stand of Himalayan Balsam used to dominate an area below St. Catherine's; only a few native Touch Me Not Balsam plants were able to grow under these conditions. After years of eradication work the situation has reversed. The vast majority of Balsam plants here are now Touch Me Not; so from my own observations Himalayan Balsam, if left unimpeded, is a problem for native plants.<br />Many internet sites express concern. I think the Inland Waterways Association puts it well...."Himalayan Balsam grows in dense stands crowding out native plants. It can take over whole areas of river and canal bank over spring and summer before dying back in the winter. When Himalayan Balsam dies back it leaves banks that it previously dominated bare having crowded out native species. With no roots left to strengthen the bank, the bank becomes more susceptible to erosion". I hope this answers your questions. Alternatively, South Cumbria Rivers Trust or Eden Rivers Trust web sites may be of interest.Central & East Lakes Rangershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506625140290658005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2291301690444395842.post-61483261837109399282015-07-25T10:11:17.067+01:002015-07-25T10:11:17.067+01:00An image of a bumblebee and a Himalayan balsam flo...An image of a bumblebee and a Himalayan balsam flower from this post appeared on images of bees and Himalayan balsam elsewhere on the internet. I read your post and I ask where the evidence is that Himalayan balsam is a problem for Native plants. Elsewhere conservationists claim that biodiversity is destroyed and riverbanks are left bare and unprotected when Himalayan balsam dies back. Again, is there any evidence for this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2291301690444395842.post-10708262802260980912015-07-23T21:14:17.779+01:002015-07-23T21:14:17.779+01:00Thank you. Your comment is greatly appreciated. Ho...Thank you. Your comment is greatly appreciated. Hopefully a good start has been made; however Knotweed is so incredibly persistent it may well require work over the course of several years to be certain it is gone for good!Central & East Lakes Rangershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506625140290658005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2291301690444395842.post-56841252721052453092015-07-22T20:50:35.860+01:002015-07-22T20:50:35.860+01:00Good work team. Wow, applying the glyphosphate tha...Good work team. Wow, applying the glyphosphate that way must be very time consuming, I hope you didn't have to do too many! Still, it's a good tip for the domestic gardener too I'd have thought.Lawnmowerwizardhttp://lawnmowerwizard.comnoreply@blogger.com