Northwest Invasive Plant Council

What You Need to Know About Himalayan Balsam

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:33:51 -0700

Impatiens glandulifera is currently a category one extremely invasive plant in NWIPC 2009 Plan and Profile. It is a tall (60-200 cm) annual herb with a pink to purple orchid-like flower and a bamboo-like main stem with a reddish tinge. Its seeds can spread, ejecting up to 2500 seeds per plant from exploding seed pods. Historical records from Europe indicate it spreads fast along riparian corridors to become vast in distribution. It went from initial introduction to common weed status in less than 60 years...............

Do You Have a Knotweed Problem?

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:40:02 -0700

If you have a knotweed problem check out the presentation (link below) put together by Mike Cheney on saltwater and light-suppression techniques for knotweed control. Follow Mike's battle with knotweed on Haida Gwaii over several repeated treatments and through years.

First Nations Partnerships in Invasive Plant Managment

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:23:47 -0700

Take a look at how the Gixtsan are "Weeding out the Invaders" as part of their invasive plant management program. Check out the presentation given by NWIPC First Nations Coordinator Merci Hillis, and NWIPC Director Bob Drinkwater at the international Weeds Across Boarders Conference in Banff Alberta, May 28, 2008 by selecting the link below.

NEW - Multi-Agency Pest Management Plan

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:39:32 -0700

The current Pest Management Plans (PMPs) that NWIPC contractors operate under are about to expire. The Ministry of Forests and Range is spear-heading the development of a government PMP that will cover both the Northwest and Northeast. Download our press release for a summary on the process. Go to the Invasive Alien Plant Program web site and look for *DRAFT - UNDER DEVELOPMENT* to read the draft plan.

Let the Bugs Do the Work

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:12:50 -0700

The NWIPC is always looking for new and better ways to eliminate invasive plants. One interesting way is bring in a natural predator of the weed to attack and control its growth and spread. This is called "biocontrol". This fall, the Ministry of Forests and Range (MFR) with help from the NWIPC released the weevil Rhinusa antirrhini on Dalmatian and Common toadflax plants at two locations within city of Prince George. The weevil R. antirrhini is one of several biocontrol agents that have been through extensive testing to be sure that it will not attack native plants. Adult weevils feed on the pollen and lower parts of toadflax plants. Female lay eggs in the flowers and the eggs hatch in about two weeks. The emerging larvae feed on the toadflax seeds. After the weevils mature they feed for a short time on the toadflax stems before moving into the soil to overwinter. All this feeding reduces the number of seeds produced and lowers the survival of attacked plants. The two Prince George release sites will be checked in 2008 to see if the weevil survived the winter. The goal is to have the weevil reduce the number of plants and its seed production. The weevil is not expected to get rid of all the toadflax plants, only weaken them. To eradicate all toadflax plants other control methods like hand-pulling or herbicide application would have to be used.