Duff said it was “dangerous work” walking along the riverbed to access the parts of the riverbank which have been infested with balsam.<\/p>\n
“We clear Himalayan balsam to help our native ecosystem and keep the paths open for everyone,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Even though it is beautiful wading along it is really dangerous because you can’t see where you are walking.”<\/p>\n
Both volunteers had to watch out for holes in the riverbed as well as trying to avoid sinking into the silt near the riverbank.<\/p>\n
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Blockages made parts of the river hard to access for the volunteers [Melissa Duff]<\/p>\n
Himalayan balsam is one of the most widespread and common invasive plants that are not native to the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
The flower on the plant has highly pressurised pods which can propel up to 800 seeds metres away when ripe and touched.<\/p>\n
It often colonises the banks of rivers, streams and ditches, according to the RHS<\/a>, and does little to stabilise the soil along banks, leading to habitat alteration and degradation.<\/p>\n Ellis, a volunteer with the group for 14 years, said the group went out to tackle the balsam every year.<\/p>\n “It is easily pulled because it only has shallow roots,” he said.<\/p>\n “It is an ongoing battle we are waging, we get in the river every year and pull out as many as we can.”<\/p>\n Follow BBC North East on X<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this storyRelated internet links