Balsam Control at Greenbroom Farm Wood

Dear Nature Volunteers,

The Hardwick Estate, a sustainable and organic family farm, spans 430 acres of mixed forestry nestled in the scenic Chiltern Hills, near Whitchurch-on-Thames. We're on a mission to tackle the invasive Himalayan Balsam that has spread into an area of ancient mixed woodland. The source of this invasion is identified, and with the head forester’s expert plan, we aim to eradicate this problem within two or three seasons without using herbicides.

After a productive start in July of 2024, it's time for our third season to keep pushing forward! We’ll be pulling up as much of the balsam as we can—ideally removing the entire root system. On days with suitable conditions, we’ll experiment with careful scything to cut at ground level below the stem’s first nodule.

📸 Check out the progress in our gallery!

No prior experience is required, and booking is not necessary.

🚐 VAN PICKUPS

We have limited space in our van, with pickup points at:

• 9:20 AM outside the Lamb & Flag pub in St. Giles
• 9:30 AM outside the Boots store in Cowley Road

🤝 BECOME A VOLUNTEER LEADER OR DRIVER!

We’re currently in need of task leaders to help us continue our work. If you're a regular volunteer, we encourage you to take on a leadership role. Many tasks are straightforward to lead, and experienced leaders are happy to guide you until you feel confident!

If you’re interested, please get in touch. We welcome your support!

✉️ JOIN THE MAILING LIST

Stay updated with more information as the date approaches by subscribing to our mailing list through our website here.

❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For further inquiries, please visit our FAQs.