Zoo staff join volunteers to tackle invasive garden pest

A TEAM of Edinburgh Zoo staff have joined forces with volunteers to tackle alien invaders on Corstorphine Hill.

Gloves, trowels and secateurs were at the ready as Corstorphine Hill Riders and Friends of Corstorphine Hill and the City of Edinburgh Ranger Service headed out to remove Himalayan balsam, an invasive garden pest.

At the same time, some of Edinburgh Zoo’s gardens team were tackling the plant and others from within the attraction’s grounds.

Stephen Woollard, education manager at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Corstorphine Hill is a designated local nature reserve, with mature woodland of oak and birch and a regionally important geological site. Edinburgh Zoo sits on the southern slopes of the hill and we are really pleased to be involved in this activity supporting our local area and native wildlife.

“Removing invasive non-native species is a real practical contribution to local conservation and we hope highlights to everyone that conservation is something that anyone can get involved in and that we do it on our doorstep as well as around the world.”