Giving it a Bash

The River Forth Fisheries Trust, in partnership with Hopetoun Estates, recently recruited some volunteers to help control the increasing volume of Himalayan balsam on the Estate along Midhope Burn.

‘Balsam bashing’ includes pulling the Himalayan balsam out from the roots which is a fairly simple task due to their shallow roots. It’s removed because it spreads so quickly and kills biodiversity in the area. Due to the shallow roots the balsam also makes erosion of the river banks far more commonplace. The Trust coordinated two full days of ‘bashing’ in addition to another two days  at neighbouring House of the Binns.

Spokesperson for the Trust “River Forth Fisheries Trust would like to say thanks again to all of those who volunteered to help out on the two days of Balsam Bashing. There was a great amount of work done on Hopetoun Estate along the Midhope Burn and in the Wester Shore Wood. The Trust hopes that with volunteer help and future funding we can keep the effort going and get more events organised in the future”.

Categories:  Hopetoun Estate