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3 facts you need to know
About invasive species month…
By Bill Bennett
Kootenay East MLA
1. Invasive species of flora and fauna are one of the most serious threats against our natural environment. I have fought hard for many years to ensure that the East Kootenay gets the funding we need to combat the spread of noxious weeds and I will continue that fight along with the EK Invasive Species Council, which does good work.
2. Today, we are facing a new threat from a different kind of invasive species – zebra (lead image) and quagga mussels. These insidious little creatures infested the waterways of where I grew up in small town Ontario. They ruined all the wonderful places where I used to swim, fish and duck hunt. We cannot allow zebra mussels to get a foothold in the East Kootenay.
3. We were the first region in B.C. to get a mobile wash station for boats, thanks to funding from Columbia Basin Trust. But last year, 12 contaminated boats were intercepted and this year, two so far. Please, if you take your boat outside B.C. or if you know of boats from Eastern Canada or the US, make sure it is washed extensively. To learn more, visit www.bcinvasives.ca.
This message funded by Bill Bennett
