Residents of Wasa, Meadowbrook and St. Mary Lake are being encouraged to break out the gloves and join in a community weed pull this week.
“We are targeting three common invasive plants in Area E: Spotted Knapweed, Diffuse Knapweed and Baby’s Breath,” explains RDEK Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter. “We are encouraging people to get together and pull anytime between now and Sunday. On Sunday afternoon we will have a wind up appreciation barbecue at the Wasa Community Hall for everyone who participates.”
The community barbecue will be held at 4:00pm this Sunday afternoon at the outdoor kitchen at the Wasa Community Hall.
If people aren’t sure what knapweed or baby’s breath looks like, they can visit www.weedsbc.ca
“We are hoping to have a good turnout. Many hands make light work and if we get together as a community and put in a bit of time, it will make a big difference,” adds Walter. “My main hope is that people will pull knapweed on their property and help pull these invasive plants if they see them in their neighbourhood.”
For more information on the Community Weed Pull, people can contact Director Walter at 250-427-2577.
Invasive weeds are a serious issue around the province that, left unchecked, can have ecological, social and economic effects that can be alarming, and often, irreversible, according to the East Kootenay Invasive Plant Council.
Invasive species can host parasites and can also hybridize with native species, which can affect the biodiversity of an ecosystem. Economically, invasive weeds can interfere with agricultural, forestry, and tourism recreation industries, along with potentially disrupting hydro electric power generation.
The EKIPC encourages all landowners to be aware of invasive weeds on their property, whether within municipal or RDEK boundaries.
As far as combating invasive weeds, there are a couple of strategies such as introducting living, natural predators such as insects, fungi and plant pathogens to attack specific invasive plants.
Chemical options include herbicides while cultural options include crop rotation, utilizing fertilizer and planting of native species to increase competition. Mechanical tools such as tilling, mowing, grazing, cutting, burning and hand-pulling are also available for weed control.