Josie Osborne, Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship, and Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, have released the following joint statement during Invasive Species Action Month:

The B.C. government will conduct aerial spray treatments in three Vancouver Island locations beginning in early May.

The B.C. government plans to conduct aerial-spray treatments in three locations on southern Vancouver Island in spring 2022 to prevent Lymantria moths from becoming established and to minimize the risk they pose to forests, farms, orchards and urban trees.

With much of British Columbia under a heat warning and experiencing high or extreme wildfire risks, the B.C. government is urging travellers and residents to be extremely cautious over the B.C. Day long weekend.

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has allocated $3 million in new grants throughout the province to support jobs in the forestry sector and increase the use of wood fibre that otherwise would be burned as slash.

The B.C. government is investing another $12 million to assist with the detection and removal of invasive species, as part of its economic recovery plan to support jobs and help communities cope with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.