Our own Braithwaite Residents Association pond wardern was on hand in her waders last Sunday removing invasive and potentially highly detrimental pond plants including the strangely named plant Parrots feather ( a plant initially from the Amazon River, but now appearing worldwide)

Parrot feather is now used for indoor and outdoor aquatic use. It is a very popular plant in aquatic gardens. Unfortunately, in outdoor ponds, lakes, or streams, where this plant has taken root some problems can occur due to its presence The plant tends to be a little hard or tough for most pondlife to eat. As a consequence, problems created by parrots feather due to its overgrowth are the killing off of algae, and insect habitat; problems in irrigation and drainage, and restriction of access. In certain states of the USA this has become so widespread that the plant is banned.