Since 2015, every year the BC government proclaims May as the “Invasive Species Action Month”.
The month also coincides with the start of field season for Invasive Species Council of British Columbia (ISCBC) Action Teams. Those action teams are on the ground in nine different communities, one of them being Quesnel. The action teams are on the ground helping remove and manage the invasive species.
Action teams start with a list of sites that have risen concern of invasive species that have created an imbalance in the local eco-system, threatening the health and well-being of Native species. They can also leave areas vulnerable to climate change events such as, fires, floods, and biodiversity loss.
The inaugural field season, which was in 2021, saw 14 action teams visit and treat 775 sites across BC.
“We have a lot of invasive species in the Cariboo, and often people don’t even see them, because they just think they’re apart of our natural environment, but they’re actually invasive.” says Gail Wallin, Executive Director of the Invasive Species Council of BC.
“We have oxeye daisy that definitely runs along our road ways, and orange hawkweed.”
Other invasive species along with oxeye daisy and orange hawkweed include burdock, and goldfish.
For more information on the ISCBC and invasive species, you can visit their webpage.