Yesterday I bumped into a couple of naturalists conducting a survey of invertebrates on the SSSI, on behalf of Natural England. They were full of praise for the way our management plan is working, being particularly impressed with the area of fen where the majority of orchids and the cotton grass grow. They did however mention that despite our best efforts there was still some Himalayan Balsam growing, so I've been over there this morning pulling it up wherever I could find it. There was actually quite a lot; enough to keep me busy for an hour and a half or so. It's pretty wet over there already, and I managed to get stuck in liquid mud over the top of my wellies a couple of times. And as Billy Connolly likes to ask, "If it wasnae for your wellies, where would you be? You'd be in the hospital, or infirmary."
Let's hope that with everything we have done this year to restrict it there won't be much to deal with next year!
Glad they weren't naturists. A bit chilly.
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