Over £40,000 of funding has been secured to help tackle the spread of invasive plants in the New Forest.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has announced that it has secured the £45,000 from the Environment Agency.

This will now be used to continue the trust's work in tackling the spread of invasive non-native plants in the area during 2021 and 2022.

These include Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed, plants which have ‘jumped the garden fence’ and invaded the countryside where they are said to cause harm to wildlife.

Project Officers Catherine Chatters and Jo Gore will now continue the battle against Himalayan balsam with the help of volunteers along the Cadnam River, the Avon Water and the Lymington River and its tributaries, the Passford Water and the Mill Lawn Brook.

The grant will also pay for work by professional contractors to control giant hogweed along the Avon Water and American skunk cabbage along the Fleet Water.

Catherine Chatters said: “I am really pleased that our bid to the Environment Agency has been successful as it’s enabled the New Forest Non-Native Plants Project to start work on the Danes Stream which has been invaded by Himalayan balsam and American skunk cabbage.

"With the co-operation of landowners and help from the Milford Conservation Volunteers we’ve started to pull up the Himalayan balsam and contractors have been commissioned to control the American skunk cabbage.”

Invasive non-native plants out-compete native plants and affect wildlife by shading streams.

Waterways give these plants an easy way to spread as seeds travel well in water and for this reason, the project focuses on removing invasive species along rivers and in wetland habitats.

Sam Orchard, New Forest Catchment Coordinator for the Environment Agency said: “The Environment Agency are pleased to support this important project. Invasive non-native species (INNS) outcompete native plant species and can easily get out of control, impacting wildlife and even water quality.

" This work will protect and enhance many km of river running through the New Forest and reduce the threat INNS pose to protected habitats and species.”