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Day 4 was a round up of the balsam pulling, and a chance for the group to get together and chat about their time at Attenborough Nature Reserve. Everyone commented on how even though the task of pulling balsam is a repetative one, it was satisfying to see the difference in the cleared areas and to know it makes a difference in conserving the native species on site.

Only a few mozzie bites were had, and the group made a real difference to the Delta. Fantastic work!

There was still balsam pulling to be done on the third day - there is so much of it! Our Working for Nature trainee, Kirsty Dexter, took the group on a guided walk around the site to find and identify insects. The group all continued to work hard, and even said the balsam pulling was addictive and therapeutic! We think it's the satisfying noise it makes when you pull it out of the ground. And of course, it's a really important area of conservation to keep native species growing well.

The group spent the second day of the John Muir Discovery Award continuing to pull balsam from the Delta. This work is so important, as balsam re-roots so easily, and grows very fast. As it's a non-native species, the balsam needs to be cleared to allow for native plants to grow and thrive. The group got stuck in again, despite the giant mosquitoes and occasional showers. Great experience for those in the group who want to join our Working for Nature traineeship!