Himalayan Balsam Control in Haverfordwest

How the works run

1. 1Photo surveyFree identification from photos of your riverbank stand, typically within 24 hours.
2. 2On-site surveyA surveyor attends from £250, walking the bank to map the stand and its position relative to the estuary.
3. 3Volunteer coordinationWe identify whether the stretch is already covered by an existing volunteer pulling day and slot in around it.
4. 4Control worksHand-pulling before flowering, or herbicide on dense or inaccessible stretches such as steep tidal banks.
5. 5Seasonal monitoringReturn visits over two to three seasons to catch regrowth from the residual seed bank.

A tidal river with a countywide balsam problem

The Western Cleddau rises above Treffgarne and becomes tidal at Haverfordwest before joining the Eastern Cleddau to form the Daugleddau, one of the finest drowned river valleys in Wales. Himalayan balsam has colonised much of its length, and because the lower river is tidal and estuarine, seed can be carried both downstream by freshwater flow and redistributed by tide, making the Haverfordwest reach a key control point for the whole catchment below it.

Supporting Pembrokeshire's volunteer network

Balsam pulling days run by local river volunteer groups have been a fixture on the Cleddau for years, but steep banks, dense stands and limited volunteer numbers mean some stretches never get properly cleared. We work as a paid partner to these efforts, covering the sections that need equipment, access work or herbicide, so that the volunteer-led sections aren't undone by an untreated gap further along the bank.

Compliance & accreditation

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