Could you volunteer to protect our rivers?
West Wales Rivers Trust is partnering with Natural Resources Wales’s Four Rivers for LIFE project to control the impact of invasive non-native species (INNS) on the rivers Teifi, Tywi and Cleddau.
We will be working along 6 tributaries to remove invasive Himalayan balsam plants. These plants outcompete native vegetation and leave riverbanks bare and vulnerable to erosion when dying back in Winter.
By taking a targeted approach to clear the species from the top of the river tributaries to their confluence on a yearly basis for 3 years, we aim to clear 100% of the Himalayan balsam from these tributaries.
But we can’t achieve this without you!
We are looking for volunteers in, or willing to travel to the Lampeter, Llanybydder, Llandovery, Llandeilo, Maenclochog and Haverfordwest areas who are over the age of 16 and who can volunteer anything from a few hours to a few days a month.
No experience is needed, just enthusiasm, and a desire and willingness to work outside!
In return, volunteers will learn practical conservation skills and plant identification skills, as well as contributing to a wider control strategy to stop the spread of invasive species along our rivers.
Please get in touch to register your interest, and we will keep you informed of upcoming opportunities: info@westwalesriverstrust.org
You can also see other volunteer opportunities and events in our events calendar here: https://westwalesriverstrust.org/events/
Further information…
The rivers Teifi, Tywi and Cleddau are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) which means they are protected and of international importance for their wildlife and plants such as Atlantic salmon, lamprey, shad, otter and water crowfoot.
Controlling the spread and the impact of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) is a key objective of the volunteering work, as the plants have become widespread in the UK, colonising riverbanks, riparian margins and wet woodlands.
The Four Rivers for LIFE project aims to reduce the impact of INNS on the rivers. Invasive species such as Himalayan balsam, American skunk cabbage, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed will be controlled.
To find out more about the Four Rivers for LIFE project please visit the website: Natural Resources Wales / Four Rivers for LIFE