As boating season approaches in the South Okanagan, the B.C. government is once again adding to its arsenal in the fight to help keep the province invasive mussel free.

To help keep the Boundary – Similkameen region and the rest of the province invasive-mussel free, the B.C. government is stepping up action in its fight against this invasive species.

The Province, in partnership with the BC Community Bat Program and other concerned groups, are asking the public to be on the lookout for dead or sick bats that may have contracted an invasive fungal disease called White Nose Syndrome.

Through the Province’s expanded Invasive Mussel Defence Program, crews have inspected a record 24,500 watercraft for invasive quagga and zebra mussels this boating season, helping B.C. to remain free of invasive mussels.

British Columbia remains free of invasive mussels, thanks to ongoing efforts that have seen more than 6,100 watercraft inspected so far this year – already surpassing the number of inspections in all of 2015.

The B.C. government has proclaimed May 2016 as “Invasive Species Action Month” to help raise awareness of the environmental and economic damage that invasive plants and animals can cause if they become established in the province.

A biologist who has spent more than 35 years beautifying the Cowichan Valley, a driving force behind the protection of an iconic piece of the North Shore Mountains, an enthusiastic park operator known for her wildflower posters, and a man remembered for saving the lives of countless park visitors – these are the recipients of the 2015 BC Parks Volunteer Awards.