A word of caution before bringing home souvenirs
With the holiday season upon us, many people are travelling to warmer climates to escape the cold and wintry weather.
Well-seasoned travelers are generally aware of what is and is not allowed to take with you on your travels. There are online resources you can refer to when in doubt, including the National Import Service Centre and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Both of these agencies have detailed websites that outline what is prohibited from crossing our borders.
However, serious problem with vacationers going down south or even to other continents is the potential for bringing back new species to Canada.
And of course it’s equally important that we avoid the unintentional movement of species from our backyards into new locations abroad. It’s no secret that increased global trade and travel has led to a dramatic increase in the number of new introductions over the past several decades.
A recent article in the Chronicle Herald noted that soil is considered ones of the highest risk pathways of spread. This is because many invasive insects lay their eggs in and around the roots of plants, which are then transported all over the world.
Every day, the CFIA finds smuggled items like little palm trees, small grapevines and even little pepper plants in luggage.
When these plants have soil attached to their roots, non-native species associated with this soil can quickly become a massive infestation because they have no natural predators here in Canada. Other insects may be hidden in souvenirs we bring home or shipping containers.
The Asian Long-horned Beetle is a perfect example. This insect pest made its way into Canada via wood products that were not fumigated and it is now killing thousands of trees in North America. Fortunately this invasive beetle has not yet established in B.C.
Sometimes the introduced plant itself can be the problem. When a plant grows in its natural environment, there are checks and balances that help control populations. When we bring plants into new areas, a small number of them have the potential to spread uncontrollably. When I travelled to the Galapagos Islands in 2015, I was shocked to see puncturevine growing there. This invasive Mediterranean plant is well established in the South Okanagan, but I never anticipated discovering it in these relatively pristine South American islands. The sharp tack-like spines on the seed head have clearly aided puncturevine’s successful spread around the globe.
So before you embark on your next journey, be sure to thoroughly clean your footwear and travel gear before and after your travels. And resist the temptation to bring home that cute little plant from the Caribbean or those plump figs from Italy.
We can all help to prevent the spread of invasive species.
For information on invasive species go to our website: www.oasiss.ca or contact the Program Coordinator for the Okanagan-Similkameen, Lisa Scott, at 250-404-0115.