Tralee Tidy Towns volunteers with Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council Mikey Sheehy, Mayor of Tralee Angie Baily and Ger Scollard from the Irish Wildlife Trust taking part in the Balsam Bash initiative.TRALEE Tidy Towns has launched a new initiative to tackle the spread of invasive Himalayan balsam as part of Invasive Species Week 2026, holding a successful community ‘Balsam Bash’ along the River Lee.
Himalayan balsam, while known for its striking pink flowers, poses a serious threat to local ecosystems.
The annual plant weakens riverbanks, increasing the risk of erosion, and disrupts the pollination of native plant species. Volunteers gathered to begin the careful removal of this invasive species, following best-practice protocols to prevent further spread.
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Correct timing and technique are essential when managing Himalayan balsam, as the plant produces exploding seed pods that can contain up to 16 seeds.
Once mature, these pods can propel seeds as far as seven metres, allowing them to spread rapidly, particularly along waterways.
Martha Farrell of Tralee Tidy Towns highlighted the importance of community involvement: “We were heartened to have such a great response to the event and to have both the Mayor of Tralee, Angie Baily, and the Mayor of Kerry, Cllr. Mikey Sheehy, with us.”
“We are also really grateful to the Community Foundation and NPWS for funding the implementation of our Community Biodiversity Action Plan. Through this, and our strong partnerships with Irish Wildlife Trust (Kerry), Kerry County Council, MTU Wildlife Biology, and now the Kerry ETB Biodiversity in the Community course, we have benefited from extensive training on how to protect biodiversity. We have lots more work to do on Himalayan balsam around Tralee and if anyone would like to take part and learn how to remove it correctly, just email us at tidytownstralee@gmail.com.”
Cllr Angie Baily, Mayor of Tralee said: I thoroughly enjoyed Balsam bashing with Tralee Tidy Towns and the community – for me, the most important thing was raising awareness around invasive plants that damage our native plants and biodiversity.
Cllr. Mikey Sheehy, Mayor of Kerry, also praised the initiative: “I was delighted to lend a hand at the Balsam Bash. The work of Tralee Tidy Towns and their volunteers often goes unnoticed, but it’s making a real difference to our local biodiversity, our rivers, and habitats. Fair play to everyone who turned out and got stuck in.”
Invasive Species Week, which ran from June 22–28 , is an annual campaign organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
It aims to raise awareness of invasive non-native species and encourage practical action to limit their impact.
This year’s themes included volunteering, recording sightings, promoting the “Check, Clean, Dry” approach for water activities, and encouraging responsible choices in gardening and pet ownership.
Tralee Tidy Towns plans to continue its efforts to manage Himalayan balsam and protect local biodiversity, with further community engagement opportunities in the coming months.
