Restoring Balance at Barlby Ponds: Removing the Invasive Water Soldier to Protect Local Biodiversity

 

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One Year with TCV York and North Yorkshire

🌿 Sofonie Dala’s Volunteering Journey with TCV: A Year of Conservation and Connection

October is a month of celebration for Sofonie Dala. Just four days before her birthday on October 31, she began a journey that would transform her understanding of environmental care and community action. On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Sofonie joined The Conservation Volunteers (TCV UK) for her very first activity — held at the tranquil Barlby Ponds in Selby, North Yorkshire.

That early morning, the sky was bright and calm. Sofonie arrived with three other enthusiastic young women, all ready to learn and lend a hand. Their leader for the day was Joanna, the dedicated TCV Manager for the York region. The group’s mission was to remove the invasive aquatic plant water soldier (Stratiotes aloides) — a tough, spiky plant that had taken over parts of the pond, crowding out native life.

Stepping into the shallow water for the first time, Sofonie felt a thrill of excitement and connection. The mud beneath her boots, the glistening surface of the pond, and the gentle sound of birds nearby made her realize that environmental care is not just about theory — it’s about action, teamwork, and heart.

Later that morning, a few habitat lovers arrived with their plastic boats, joining the mission. Together, they worked joyfully to restore the pond’s natural balance — laughing, sharing stories, and learning how even a small group of volunteers can make a big ecological impact.

On that special day, we teamed up with the Low Wharfe Canoe Club to remove invasive water soldiers — a vital task to help restore balance in our ponds. By clearing these fast-spreading plants, we give native wildlife room to thrive and help keep our freshwater ecosystems healthy.

🎙️ The Interview Moment: Listening to Joanna

That same day, Sofonie invited Joanna to share more about TCV’s work for an interview — giving the world a closer look into what conservation volunteering truly means.

Sofonie: “Joanna, thank you for leading today’s activity. Could you tell us what makes TCV’s work so important?”

Please listen to the interview 

 

That short conversation stayed in Sofonie’s heart. It reminded her that conservation is not only about the environment — it’s about community, learning, and shared purpose.

🌱 Environmental Impact of the Task

Removing water soldier from Selby’s Barlby Ponds helped:

• Restore Native Biodiversity: Clearing dense mats made space for native aquatic plants and fish.

• Improve Water Quality: The removal boosted oxygen levels and balanced water chemistry.

• Enhance Recreation and Safety: Without the sharp, floating leaves, the pond became safer for people and wildlife.

• Prevent Future Spread: Proper handling ensured plant fragments didn’t drift to new areas.

The process had its challenges — managing floating fragments and temporary water disturbance — but the ecological gains far outweighed the short-term effects.

🌍 Linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Sofonie’s volunteer activity at Barlby Ponds directly supports global sustainability targets:

• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Acting locally to protect ecosystems from climate-driven changes.

• SDG 14 – Life Below Water: Restoring aquatic habitats and conserving freshwater biodiversity.

• SDG 15 – Life on Land: Promoting ecological balance and sustainable management of natural resources.

• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthening collaboration between people and organizations across nations.

🌼 A Year Later: Continuing the Mission

Now, in October 2025, even while living in Angola, Sofonie celebrates one year of volunteering with TCV. Through her posts and storytelling, she continues to share her passion for nature, connecting global communities to the beauty and responsibility of conservation.

Her journey at Selby’s Barlby Ponds was more than a one-day event — it was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to protecting our planet, one pond at a time.

Recognitions 

I have been volunteering with TCV for several months, and the experience has equipped me with valuable, hands-on green skills I could never have learned in a classroom. TCV truly became my second classroom. Together, we travelled across Yorkshire, working not only in forests but also by the sea, rivers, and ponds.

Before my departure to Angola, I chose a special gift that I felt would best express my gratitude and recognition for all that TCV has given me. As a token of thanks, I offered them an Angolan cultural painting, Trabalhadoras Escravas nas Colheitas(“Enslaved Women at the Harvest”).

This moving piece pays tribute to the lives of enslaved Angolan women during the colonial era. It captures a quiet yet powerful moment in the late afternoon, as the women return home after a long day of harvesting. Behind them stands a traditional grass hut, grounding the scene in a landscape of resilience, endurance, and community. Both paintings are original oil-on-canvas works, brought carefully from Angola to the UK.

Near the baobab tree — árvore sagrada — the sacred tree of Angola, the painting finds deeper meaning. In Angola, the embondeiro (baobab) is a national symbol, representing strength, longevity, resilience, ancestral wisdom, and the connection between past, present, and future. It is regarded as both a natural and cultural heritage, deeply tied to the country’s identity and serving as a source of life — providing food, water, shelter, and medicine for communities.

The imbondeiro is considered the largest succulent plant in the world, capable of living between 1,000 and 2,000 years. It thrives in hot, dry climates, blooming between October and December, with its fruit ripening in January. Its hollow trunk can store thousands of liters of water, allowing it to survive even in long periods of drought — and, remarkably, it can provide shelter for up to forty people.

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