What are invasive plants and why are they a problem?
Invasive plants are species that are able to quickly establish and flourish in new areas due to a competitive ability over other vegetation. Invasive plants are non-native and can quickly form extensive and dense infestations. Infestations in the natural environment can threaten biodiversity, reduce forage for wildlife and reduce habitat for rare or endangered species. Certain invasive plants also have undesirable traits such as toxicity to animals and humans or they can restrict recreation due to forming extremely dense infestations or containing spines. When invasive plants infest agricultural areas, they can reduce forage for livestock, contaminate seed stocks and reduce crop yields. Some invasive plants are known to affect regeneration of tree seedlings in the forest industry.
What can we do?
Prevention of infestations is the most successful and cost-efficient method of dealing with invasive plants. Elimination may be possible for established infestations if the area is not too large and re-infestation by neighbouring plants is not likely. In some instances, infestations are too large to be practical for elimination, but must be controlled to prevent spread and new infestations. Control or elimination efforts generally have three options: mechanical, chemical or biocontrol methods.
Usually the most successful control or elimination efforts use some form of ‘Integrated Pest Management.’ Integrated Pest Management is a management strategy that identifies a number of steps used to control invasive plants, including:
- inventory of invasive plant infestations,
- risk assessment,
- identification and development of control options,
- decision on one or more control methods to be used, and
- site treatment and monitoring.
What You Can Do provides specific actions we all can take to prevent and control invasive plant infestations.
Weeds know no boundaries: join forces!
The Northwest Invasive Plant Council (NWIPC) developed as a committee in 1992 and a not-for-profit organization in 2004 with the goal of preventing further damage to the ecosystems of the northwest and central BC from invasive alien plants. Bylaws and a constitution govern the NWIPC, and documents such as the current NWIPC 2007 Plan and Profile, and Invasive Plant Strategy for BC detail the strategies used by the NWIPC to manage invasive plants. Please contact us with any concerns or questions.
January 15th, 2010
Do You Have a Knotweed Problem?
If you have a knotweed problem check out the presentation (link below) put together by Mike Cheney...
January 15th, 2010
First Nations Partnerships in Invasive Plant Managment
Take a look at how the Gixtsan are "Weeding out the Invaders" as part of their invasive plant...
November 24th, 2009
NEW - Multi-Agency Pest Management Plan
The current Pest Management Plans (PMPs) that NWIPC contractors operate under are about to expire...
March 3rd, 2009
NWIPC 2008 Annual Report
Details of 2008 accomplishments and financial summary. Thanks to all the partners, members...
February 10th, 2009
2008 Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to our three winners of the 2008 Photo Contest!
Stacey Barker, 1st prize for...
November 1st, 2007
Let the Bugs Do the Work
The NWIPC is always looking for new and better ways to eliminate invasive plants. One interesting...
October 1st, 2007
Interview with Becky Brown on the Corrections Crew Field Days
Corrections Crews are made up of inmates participating in the treatment of invasive plants. Heading...
Meet our Partners and Sponsors!
How do you say it? Invasive Plant versus Noxious Weed
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