Balsam removal continue with great success

Balsam removal continues throughout the Nore Valley basin and in particular in the Kilkenny city area with large numbers of volunteers taking part over the last number of weeks.

Extensive new areas which have not been previously cleared are now being declared balsam free for 2020. The main aim is to remove plants prior to flowering so that the seed is not available for 2021.

Riverbanks now clear of Balsam through our our city and environs

Congratulations to all the volunteers who are taking part. See also our Facebook page with details of the various events taking place.

KKB Facebook

Sycamores/Aylesbury and Talbot’s Inch residents on balsam pick

Congratulations to the Sycamores/Aylesbury and Talbots inch residents who joined the Bishops Meadows/Talbots inch weir balsam pick. This work forms part of the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful balsam invasive species eradication programme in the city and environs.

Information panel in relation to the Talbot’s inch suspension bridge which was washed away in the 1947 floods

Information panel in relation to the Talbot’s Inch suspension bridge which was washed away in the 1947 floods

 

 

 

Balsam removal campaign 2019

Congratulations to all who came out to  work on  the balsam removal campaign 2019, there will be further regular  evenings  during  May, June and July. The programme has been extremely successful with almost total removal of balsam throughout the city from Talbot’s inch to Ossory Bridge. The  areas previously cleared  will also be checked for any new growth and the 2019 campaign is to extend the area cleared to the south-east of Ossory bridge. Congratulations to all who have taken part so far this year. To take part, please contact us and also monitor our events page. Balsam is an invasive species and it’s removal encourages the growth of native species of plants along the riverbank.

 

Congratulations to Turas Nua

Congratulations to Turas Nua and KKB volunteers for all the hard work undertaken Keeping Kilkenny Beautiful. Work included weeding, mulching and maintenance of sustainable planting on the Sion  Road and also undertaking removal of invasive Himalayan balsam along the river Nore adjacent to Ossory Bridge.

Many hands make light work!

You can also  join the many volunteers, clubs and local businesses   who are working to keep Kilkenny beautiful.!  See our  events page to join and be  part  of  the   environmental actions being undertaken to Keep Kilkenny Beautiful.

River Nore Balsam removal commences 2019

A substantial start took place with the removal of a large area of balsam from the river Nore bank  to the south east of Ossory bridge. This project forms part of a multi year programme to reduce and eliminate  balsam from the upper stretches of the River Nore in the Kilkenny  City area. This initial balsam day was supported by  a large group of environmentalists  currently in Kilkenny under  the  Youth and Environment  Europe  (YEE)  network. Thank your for all of the hard work.

Careful removal of very small balsam plants in April

 

Swallows sighted in Kilkenny, river Breagagh valley enhancement ongoing

The first swallows of 2019 were spotting in Kilkenny on the 31st March. A sign of spring/summer. Work is also ongoing with the improvement of the Breagagh river, including cleaning of  the banks and any debris  that has gone into the river ready for the 2019 nesting season. work to remove all balsam has also been undertaken and this review  will continue again later in the spring.

Balsam removal in Kilkenny City and environs

An extensive balsam removal  scheme in the Kilkenny area river Nore and Breagagh  on a phased basis has completed its 4th year. The aim is to remove plants before flowering and prevent seed being produced for the following year.

The banks all through our City have been restored to attractive riverside woodland. Balsam is an invasive weed which  can push out  the native species of plant leading to damage of river banks in the winter. While removing Balsam on  the river bank it has been possible to see much of the river wildlife. 

 

 

Community response arrests the spread of Invasive Species in Kilkenny

The spread of the Invasive species Himalayan Balsam has been the target of a community intervention along the River Nore in the Kilkenny City area and its tributary the River Breagagh. Himalayan Balsam is one of Ireland’s most invasive plant species and is considered to be a threat to wildlife ecology along rivers especially their riparian areas, and so is an issue that should be addressed under the Water Framework Directive.

Removing Himalayan balsam is not straightforward and requires a lot of man power, community and river stakeholder intervention. The Tidy Towns Committee, Keep Kilkenny Beautiful and its Biodiversity Committee first targeted Himalayan balsam which had become rampant on the River Bregagh, which is a tributary of the River Nore flowing through Kilkenny City in 2015 .

The River Breagagh is a tributary of the River Nore which rises to the south west of Kilkenny and meanders through the greater southern and western environs of the old city and flows under city walls and Abbeys where it joins the River Nore.

Community volunteers cleared the upper part of the affected areas in the months of June and July in 2015 and 2016 and concentrated on preventing any re-emergence in this area for the remainder of the year. Progress on the first year of the River Breagagh Himalayan balsam campaign would have been greater but for an outbreak of Giant hogweed on the River Nore to which a number of the Breagagh volunteers responded.

A response to combat the Giant hogweed’s threat to public health and the rivers ecology was directed by the local National Parks and Wildlife Officer, and included individuals from the Tidy Towns biodiversity group, the Local Sub Aqua Club, the Kilkenny Anglers and the Local Canoeing Club. The result of this intervention was that 70 or so Giant hogweed plants were treated and their seed heads removed preventing them from going to ground and germinating. The same Giant hogweed response team have been proactive again this year and it is hoped that one invasive species epidemic has been averted and is under control.

In May of  2016 the River Breagagh Himalayan balsam campaign resumed and the stakeholder groups that so successfully responded to the previous years outbreak of Giant hogweed spearheaded the completion of the removal of all stands of the invasive species from the River Breagagh tributary. The important participation of the rivers amenity stakeholders in this difficult access phase of treatment also released experienced volunteers to participate in the removal of Himalayan balsam downstream of the River Breagagh confluence.

The Tidy Towns, River Nore Himalayan balsam  removal campaign began in May 2006  on the popular Lacken and Canal walk areas of the river downstream of the River Breagagh and a strong community response has seen large areas of infestation being cleared and indigenous habitat being restored.

Earlier removal of invasive species on the River Breagagh has already resulted in a return of nesting ducks and foraging swans to the restored grass leavey island and riverbank habitat and a return of a pair of squawking water hens to what had previously become an impenetrable forest of Balsam. The intervention and participation of Tidy Towns cross community volunteers and river amenity stakeholders in biodiversity advocacy projects is heralding a new dawn in river conservation on the River Nore and its tributaries in Kilkenny.

In 2017 further extensive removals took place throughout the May – August  season 2017 and in addition extending the work area down river to south east of the Ossory bridge with maintenance of other areas which had been substantially cleared in previous years. The main aim was to remove the plant prior to seeding and to pick as early as possible while its biomass level was low  and damage/shadow  to adjoining plants was minimised. As in previous years all of the plants were collected by hand and where composted on site adjacent to the river in locations above the floodplain.This work as allowed all to have a greater appreciation of the amenity available along the river Nore/Breagagh  in the Kilkenny area.

Balsam removal on the river Breagagh near the junction with the river Nore

Team from Statestreet bank working to remove balsam during 2017 during Community action day

Balsam removal during 2017

 Keep Kilkenny Beautiful

Balsam in Kilkenny City gets a bash!

The non-native invasive species   is to be found on the river Nore close to Kilkenny City. The plant due to its large size, it  can smother native plant species reducing biodiversity and needs to be kept under control.The plant is an annual and it is important to remove new season growth prior to seeding.

Keep Kilkenny Beautiful  Environmental Subcommittee undertook a pilot balsam removal project  on the river Breagagh in 2015. This was found to be quite successful with only  limited  new plant  growth in the areas cleared in 2015.

In 2016 Keep Kilkenny Beautiful has proceeded with a much larger Balsam removal project. This commenced in May 2016 with removal of any new  plants in the section of the river between Ossory Bridge and the Boardwalk area.In addition, clearance is also being undertaken in the river Breagagh. The work is being done section by section by hard-working volunteers without the use of chemicals. The plants are being pulled  by the root and are being composted. Repeat visits are being made during the course of the summer to remove any additional balsam growth and to prevent flowering. The results of this larger pilot project will be reviewed again in detail in 2017 to assess the success of the work and to see if any adjustments to the work procedure be considered.

KKB are also thankful of the assistance and cooperation being received from Kilkenny Angler’s  and Kilkenny County Council.

KKB welcomes new volunteers to assist . See our Contacts page, also see also our Events page.

Bernadette MoloneyEnvironmental Awareness Officer with Regina Byrne Hon Secretary KKB with a large balsam plant

Regina Byrne Hon Secretary KKB and  Bernadette Moloney Environmental awareness Officer    with a large balsam plant on the board walk.

 

Hard working volunteer Balsam removal group on the Board walk

Hard working volunteer  group on the Board walk making ready to clear the Balsam