Backyard weed survey free for Golden residents

Invasive-Plant surveyor on call until August 26, 2011

Invasive species are a huge threat to biodiversity worldwide—and in our own backyards.  

To slow the spread of invasive plant species, Wildsight in partnership with the Town of Golden is running Golden’s Community Weed Program this summer.  This involves controlling the current invasive weed sites in our town as well as identifying and controlling any new ones.  A free survey is being offered to help residents identify invasive weeds on their property.  Residents are also encouraged to take part in community weed removal events.

“The backyard survey helps you identify the invasive plants that you have in your yard,” said Jenny Waters, the community weed program coordinator. “We are hoping to survey and control most of the invasive weeds that are present in Golden so that we can put a stop to their spread and start the process of eradicating them from our town.”

Contact Waters to arrange a property survey. Her number is 250-348-2353. (You can book a time on any weekday before August 26.) 

“Once you recognize invasive plants you’ll know which weeds are of concern to our ecosystems and which are just more of a nuisance,” Waters said. “The earlier you ID them, the better chance we have for controlling them.”

“As herbicides are toxic to the environment and with the new pesticide-free bylaw in place, let’s set an example and succeed in controlling these weeds with non-toxic forms of control.”

Waters said it’s important to detect these invasive weed sites as soon as possible. With no native enemies to keep them at bay, invasive plants spread rapidly. Some species’ seeds can remain viable for several years—this is also why repetitive treatments are necessary.

Golden’s Community Weed Program is supported by the Town of Golden and is operated under the umbrella of Wildsight’s Columbia Headwaters Invasive Plant Species Program.

Darvill has been working for four years to help remove invasive plants from the sensitive natural areas around Golden, including the Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area.

“I’m hoping that people become more active in pulling the invasive plants they have in their own yards,” Darvill said. “The sooner invasive weed sites are identified on private and public lands, the better we’ll be at stopping them from destroying native plant and animal habitat in and around Golden.”

Invasive plants come from other countries and quickly establish and flourish on disturbed and un-disturbed sites. They have a competitive advantage over native vegetation, as they are free from their natural ‘enemies,’ such as foreign insects. They out-compete native plants and agricultural crops for space, moisture and nutrients.

Invasive plants can destroy wildlife habitat, degrade the scenic beauty of the landscape, disrupt recreational activities, ruin agricultural areas, reduce biodiversity and degrade water quality.

“It sounds bad, but we’re not helpless against invasive plants,” Waters said. “In this area, we still have the chance to slow the spread before the infestations are totally out of hand.

“The efforts we make now will pay off substantially in the long run.”

Waters is hoping to be inundated with calls and bookings for backyard surveys this year.

“Call me at 250-348-2353 to book a free property survey,” she said. “Or go to our webpage for more information and invasive weed reports: www.Wildsight.ca/InvasiveSpecies.”