Volunteers clear away an invasive plant species at Stoke Park Farm
The invasive plant was introduced to the UK by Victorian gardeners.
A team of volunteers have helped to clear away an invasive species of plant from a chalk stream at the Stoke Park Farm green lung.
They were joined in their efforts to clear away Himalayan Balsam from the stream by Bishopstoke councillor, Karen Caws.
The invasive plant, which has a pink flower was introduced to the UK by Victorian gardeners.
Cllr Caws said: “Our team of volunteers had a fantastic day pulling all the Himalayan Balsam.
“We actually completed the whole stream, as we had already worked hard last year to remove a lot. The good news was that impact had reduced the spread across the site and was concentrated in limited areas.
“It thrives along riverbanks, where it quickly outcompetes our native plants. Because it has very shallow roots and dies back completely in winter, it leaves riverbanks bare and unstable – increasing the risk of erosion and flooding.
“Furthermore when the plant breaks it upsets the chemical balance of our chalk streams - reducing water quality.”
The work is supported and part of the Wessex Rivers Trust's Invasive Non-Native Species programme led by Dan Whiteside, which aims to protect our waterways and enable our native biodiversity to flourish.
Pictured: The volunteer team.