Opportunity to be part of the solution
Competitive. Aggressive. Tenacious. These are all words commonly associated with invasive species. In today’s article however, I am going to speak about opportunity.
Invasive species, whether we are talking about plants, insects or mussels, are opportunistic. If an opportunity arises to move into a new location that is within their normal living conditions, they rarely decline. This is why it’s so important that everyone understands the importance of not creating a niche for invasive species and not being a vector.
I recently gave a presentation to municipal staff that are responsible for parks, public works and bylaw services. While I went through a series of slides depicting some of the more common invasive plants that they would encounter and described the most suitable options for control, the emphasis of my presentation was on prevention.
Invasive plants can spread through:
• Maintenance and travel on highway and utility corridors
• Transfer of weed-infested soil
• Horticulture pathways, seed mixes and plants
• Inappropriate dumping of yard waste • Forestry operations • Wind • Moving water • Wildlife and livestock • Off-road and all-terrain vehicles • Train movement and track maintenance • And more… This makes it imperative for us to ensure we are not a vector.
This includes: checking shoes, vehicles and equipment for seeds or plant parts when entering and exiting a property; being cognizant of where you park your vehicle or machinery; using mulch, soil, gravel, fill and plantings that are not contaminated with invasive plants; and properly disposing of all invasive plant material. I will touch on these subjects in greater detail in future articles, but for now
I’d like to reinforce the point that we are all part of the problem, but we can also be part of the solution.
Having said this, I was recently reminded as I drove along Warren Avenue, that invasive plants in particular can grow virtually anywhere.
Case in point, the knapweed plant that is currently growing on the osprey nesting platform.
The tenacity of invasive plants continues to astound me.
Lisa Scott is program manager Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society (OASISS). For more information visit: www.oasiss.ca