Crieff Community Trust is calling for volunteers to help tackle the Himalayan Balsam in Turretbank Wood again this year. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive, non-native plant that spreads rapidly and out competes our native woodland plants and flowers. If we don’t keep on top of it, it can colonise large areas and all the insects, birds and animals that rely on our native plants and flowers will suffer.

CCT has organised a series of sessions in June and July, the best time to blitz this invasive weed. The sessions are open to all and your don’t need any special equipment, just sturdy shoes or boots and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. If you’d like to help us look after the wildlife in our beautiful community owned woodland, come along to one of our sessions or get in touch to find out more.

There are three sessions on six different days; that’s 18 sessions in all, so there is bound to be one that is convenient for you!

More about Himalayan Balsam

Himalayan Balsam is classed officially by Scottish Natural Heritage as a non-native invasive plant. It is one of four invasive plants (together with rhododendron, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed) that SNH considers to be having the greatest negative impact on the Scottish countryside.

Brought to Britain in the 1830s, it was originally introduced as an ornamental garden plant. It is a relative of the ‘Busy Lizzy’, but bears little resemblance to that well-loved garden annual. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, Himalayan Balsam can grow to 2-3 metres tall, and each plant can produce 800 seeds in a year. These are dispersed widely as the ripe seedpods shoot their seeds up to 7m (22ft) away!