The provincial government is providing a total of $213,300 to the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and to the East Kootenay Invasive Plant Council (EKIPC) to control the spread of invasive plants.

The RDEK will receive $23,300 and EKICP $190,000.

The funding will be invested in activities such as raising public awareness, surveying invasive plant populations and actively treating high-priority sites to control the spread of invasive plants.

Invasive plants are not native to a particular ecosystem and have the potential to displace long-established species. They can cause considerable economic and environmental damage. Invasive plants may disrupt natural ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, increase soil erosion, alter soil chemistry and adversely affect commercial crops.

“I believe that staying ahead of the growth of invasive plant species in our beautiful region is a major environmental priority. Thankfully, our government agrees, as evidenced by this funding. The money will be put to good use in the East Kootenay,” said Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett.

“The ministry’s contribution for invasive species co-ordination is critical not only to our Council, but also to our key partners, especially the many regional committees across B.C.  We are all working to strengthen important partnerships that result in fewer invasive species being introduced into local environments. By working together, we can reduce future management costs and resource losses and help protect our natural landscapes from the damage caused by invasive species,” added Tom Wells, chair of the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia.

The funding is part of 28 grants being given province-wide to local governments, regional invasive species committees and the Invasive Species Council of B.C. to assist their activities and support the objectives of the provincial Invasive Plant Program. This funding is in addition to the $534,000 already earmarked by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations for invasive plant control and management in 2013/14.

The Invasive Plant Program identifies sites where invasive plant species have been found and responds rapidly to contain and eradicate them before they become established and start spreading.

Currently, some of the most intrusive plants in B.C. are orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds, garlic mustard, cordgrasses and knotweed.

Other targeted species include knapweed, giant hogweed (pictured), black henbane, blueweed, common tansy, tansy ragwort, hoary alyssum, field scabious, leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, Himalayan balsam and Scotch broom.

Learn more

Invasive Alien Plant Program: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hra/plants/index.htm

Invasive Species Council of British Columbia: https://www.bcinvasives.ca

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