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.
August 1st, 2008
Come check us out at events across Northern BC
Dear NWIPC Members,
The NWIPC info booth will be out at various events across northern BC. See...
June 11th, 2008
Events this June and July
June 12th - 15th: -Seafest - Prince Rupert
14th: -Farmers Market - Terrace
15th: -A Walk in the...
June 11th, 2008
NWIPC NEWS Volume 8
Here's the Scoop. Click the link to read it.
This pdf is full of interesting and inspiring info...
April 22nd, 2008
NWIPC 2007 Annual Report
The NWIPC annunal report for 2007 is now available for downloading from our site...
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...
September 1st, 2007
Interview with MOT's Ryan Spillett
The NWIPC would not be as effective without our partners. They give us the funds, the knowledge...
Meet our Partners and Sponsors!
How do you say it? Invasive Plant versus Noxious Weed
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