Yokogawa Marex’s Good Weed of the Day, helping to eradicate Himalayan Balsam

Yokogawa Marex team up with Gift to Nature to remove non-native and invasive Himalayan Balsam along the Eastern Yar.

Staff from Cowes-based technology company Yokogawa Marex have teamed up with Gift to Nature to remove harmful Himalayan Balsam along the Eastern Yar at Newchurch.

A team of volunteers from Yokogawa Marex took to the wetlands along the Eastern Yar to help local charity Gift to Nature to reduce the invasive Himalayan Balsam. Project Managers Carol Flux and Nic Wheeler guided the team throughout the afternoon, ensuring members correctly removed the balsam and collected the seeds to minimize the chance of the weed returning in the future.

Within a couple of hours, staff collectively cleared a whole field, the largest pull of Himalayan Balsam ever!

Wayne Matthews, Divisional Director of Yokogawa Marex said:

“Yokogawa Marex as a company is committed to preserving and helping the local environment which is vital for native habitats and future generations. It was hard going, but spending time away from screens, desks, and jobs to enjoy the outdoors and helping to support local initiatives was an enjoyable experience for all involved.”

Gift to Nature’s Managing Director, Graham Biss added:

“As part of our programme to improve the Island’s water courses and to help nationally important species, we have been clearing Himalayan balsam. This plant is a prolific seeder and dominates many of our wetlands. As well as being detrimental to water voles, it can be the cause of bank erosion and winter flooding.

“We only have a short season to remove the plant, which means we never ever have enough volunteers. When Yokogawa Marex approached us and offered to help, we were incredibly grateful, and this proved to be our biggest ever ‘pull’!

“20 employees came out with us, and we cleared a field where some balsam had grown over 8ft in height.

“We have seen the return of native flora where we have successfully controlled Himalayan Balsam over the past couple of years. We very much hope that Yokogawa Marex will come again next year, as we still have a long way to go!”

Nic from Gift to Nature demonstrating how to pick Himalayan Balsam.