End of Year Invasive Species Report

Despite (or because of) lockdown our volunteers were keen to get out and resume balsam control. After much debate we started our activities in late May and continued through until October. We ran weekly control sessions for our team, conformed to all 2020 IN distancing regulations, and also supported a number our NUMBERS volunteers to go out solo or in pairs. This enabled us to extend both our reach and budgets. All team sessions were along Wroxall Stream. In the 5km between 1630 HOURS OF the source of the infestation at Manor Road and Bathingbourne BALSAM Lane the infestation has reduced by around 85% and requires PULLING much less management than previously. Our main effort in 2020 was between Bathingbourne Lane and the confluence with the Eastern Yar. We only started controlling this section the previous 228 TONNES OF year, so there was plenty of balsam to pull. BALSAM Some of our volunteers concentrated on strategic sites on the Eastern Yar, and Southern Water and Island Line also managed REMOVED their estates. Areas that are now relatively free of balsam are showing good nat- 31 VOLUNTEERS ural recovery of native species, not just nettles and brambles. UNLOCKED 6 STANDS OF KNOTWEED CONTROLLED A socially distanced lunch break on amongst the Himalayan balsam Natural Enterprise treated Japanese knotweed at Wroxall, Moreton and Afton Marsh. The Environment Agency continue to control Creeping Water Primrose, which despite years of treatment refuses to disappear. An Asian hornet nest was destroyed in Gosport in September and working with the Isle of Wight Bee- keepers we have sought to keep the public vigilant. We had several incorrect identifications. 2020 is the end of 5 years funding from the Down to the Coast Project. Southern Water have also kindly provided finance which has enabled us to extend the scope beyond the limits of the main funding. This break in funding has enabled us to review how successful we have been with Himalayan balsam control and to plan forward. Biological controls are not yet proving successful so there is a need to carry out mechanical, chemical or volunteer removal. As a result we have decided that over the next 5 years: • Our volunteers will continue to control Wroxall Stream. Parts of this are already what we term ‘mop up’ needing one short session and a quick walk through for stragglers in early Autumn. Over the next year we hope that the rest of Wroxall Stream will come into this mode freeing up our resources for the Eastern Yar. • Our volunteers will start clearing down the Yar from the confluence from Wroxall Stream. Each year we will push forward a couple of kms, and at the same time ‘mop up’ previously cleared land upstream. We hope that within 3 –4 year we will have most of the land upstream of Alverstone Marshes SSSI under control. • We will continue to assist the Wildlife Trust with control and their reserves on the Eastern Yar and support individual volunteers at strategic sites. • We will continue to work with Southern Water, Island Line and RSPB to create a buffer at Sandown Levels. The ‘Pink Field’ at Wroxall in August 2014 and prior to any control in July 2020 .

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