The Cariboo Regional District is receiving $687,000 over three years to fight invasive plants within the region.
Minister Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development, Doug Donaldson made the announcement Wednesday.
CRD Invasive Plant Management coordinator Emily Sontag says that they’re very pleased to partner once again with the Ministry in the delivery of invasive plant awareness and management action within the Regional District.
She adds that they are also equally pleased to have the funding come out in a multi-year manner.
Also receiving funds through Wednesday’s announcement is the Cariboo-Chilcotin-Coast Invasive Plant Committee. It will receive $6,000 over two years.
Sontag says that their plans are to deliver awareness activities throughout the region on invasive species issues, as well as deliver invasive plant management actions on crown land and other adjacent areas.
“Certainly the effects of the wildfires in the region will be top of mind when we’re out there, and we’ll be looking at areas that need increased monitoring and management over the next number of years to mitigate the effects of the fires,” she says.
“The Chilcotin region is one that is a top priority. It has fairly limited distributions of plants at this point and we want to continue with that.”
Top three plant species that are utilizing the most resources and affecting landholders within the region according to Sontag are the knapweed spotted and deciferous, the hawkweed orange and yellow, and the common tansy.