The B.C. government has proclaimed May 2017 as “Invasive Species Action Month” to help raise awareness of invasive plants and animals in British Columbia and to highlight the environmental and economic damage they can cause.

The provincial government is providing $298,000 to the Northwest Invasive Plant Council to help manage invasive plants in the Prince George region announced local MLAs Shirley Bond and Mike Morris.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has been issued a pesticide use permit to aerial-spray 182 hectares of residences, park and farm land around Elk Lake in Saanich with a spray approved for use on organic farms, to eradicate a growing population of gypsy moth and minimize the risk they pose to forests, farms, orchards and trees.

The B.C. government is providing a total of $232,000 to two local organizations to help manage invasive plants in the Cariboo region.

The B.C. government is providing $73,500 to two organizations to help manage invasive plants in the Fraser Valley.

The provincial government is providing $33,000 to the Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver and $10,000 to the City of Richmond to help manage invasive plants in the Lower Mainland.

The B.C. government is providing $20,000 to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District to help manage invasive plants in the region.

The B.C. government is providing $107,300 to three organizations to help manage invasive plants in the southern Okanagan.

The B.C. government is providing $73,500 to two organizations to help manage invasive plants in the Chilliwack area.

The B.C. government is providing $91,000 to two organizations to help manage invasive plants in the Sea to Sky area.