The Province of British Columbia is helping organizations fight back against invasive species.
May is Invasive Species Action Month, and the provincial government has given nearly $3 million in grant funding to 33 organizations. The funding will go to regional invasive species committees, local governments, environmental groups, and researchers to help them continue their work and collaborate on invasive plant programs and management actions.
“This funding is going to help all 33 organizations to work together and stop more invasive species from coming and moving around,” says Gail Wallin, Executive Director of the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. The council is getting $400,000 of the grant funding.
“In Canada, and in B.C., invasive plants are spreading and taking over critical lands, especially sensitive ecosystems such as grasslands and riparian areas.”
Wallin adds that not only will the funding help the organizations directly, but it will also help more local organizations, committees, and First Nations take action as well.
She also says that the funding for the Invasive Species Council will be going towards local partners and programs that will educate people on the invasive species in their area.
People can spread invasive species in several ways, such as burning the wrong type sof firewood, and cutting and removing plants to make backwoods camping spots, spreading their seeds to grow more.
The Invasive Species Council of BC has a page on their website that identifies invasive species. Some of the targeted invasive plant species in B.C. are: Japanese, Bohemian and giant knotweed; marsh plume thistle; common tansy; wild chervil; garlic mustard; poison hemlock; spotted knapweed; common bugloss; orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds; giant hogweed; blueweed; tansy ragwort; spartina species; hoary alyssum; purple loosestrife; field scabious; leafy spurge; yellow flag iris; and Scotch broom.
“Now compared to the last 10 to 15 years, there is an upward trend with people being aware of invasive species and why they should take action, and care, and the impact on their environment,” says Wallin.
“That’s why this funding is so important and needed cause our work gets magnified by other partners and every person. We can actually take action, which is a great thing… but more still needs to be done.”
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