Join The Big Balsam Bash
During Torfaen's last Big Balsam Bash, more than 70 local volunteers took part in 10 volunteer balsam pulling events in Torfaen, removing more than 50,000 invasive Himalayan Balsam plants.
From May to August this year we want to repeat this targeted approach to clear invasive Himalayan balsam from areas across Torfaen.
But we can’t achieve this without you!
We are looking for volunteers who are able to volunteer anything from a few hours to a few days.
No experience is needed, just enthusiasm, and a desire and willingness to work outside!
In return, volunteers will learn practical skills and plant identification skills, as well as contributing to a wider control strategy to stop the spread of invasive species locally.
Where and when can you help?
We are working with others in your community to host as many volunteer balsam pulls as possible across Torfaen. Check the Key Dates section of this page and Connect Torfaen or our social media or Eventbrite pages to find your nearest pull. Or use the interactive map to adopt a spot and join or organise a pull in your local area!
Join us for the launch event at Cwmbran Boating Lake on Tuesday 2nd June!
We'll be at the Boating Lake in Cwmbran from 10am - 2pm. This is a free, family‑friendly drop‑in event running throughout the day. You don’t need any experience, tools, or to stay for the whole time – just pop along and get involved in a way that suits you.
- Learn how to identify Himalayan balsam
- Find out why it’s a problem for rivers and wildlife
- Have a go at pulling balsam plants with guidance from the team
- Chat to us about future volunteer pulling sessions
- Sign up to “adopt a patch” and help look after a stretch near you
- We’ll be on hand to answer questions, show safe pulling techniques, and explain how small actions can make a big difference when we work together.
You can find more info on this event on Eventbrite and Connect Torfaen
How to get involved
Please complete the volunteer form on this page and one of the team will be in touch shortly. Use the interactive map to report balsam, adopt a patch and find volunteer pulling events happening in your local area.
We need your help to pull it up and stamp it out! #BigBalsamBash #PullItUp #StampItOut
Why do we need to pull up the balsam?
First imported to the UK by Victorian botanists in 1839, it has no natural rivals and can quickly dominate ditches and river banks.
The plant - which has been prized for its bright pink flowers - can grow 10ft (3m) in one season in the UK, with each plant producing up to 2,500 seeds. It has the nickname "Touch-me-nots" because of the way its seed pods explode when ripe, spraying seeds everywhere.
Being an annual plant, it dies back in winter, leaving riverbanks bare and exposed to erosion, which can lead to increased siltation of rivers. Dead stalks can fall into rivers and streams, blocking water flow and increasing the risk of flooding.
By dominating habitats, it removes the variety of plants needed for native wildlife.
Did you know
It is listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the UK, making it illegal to intentionally plant or cause it to grow in the wild.
This is a Local places for Nature project by the Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Local Nature Partnership, funded by Welsh Government
