The provincial government is providing $1.7 million in new grants to control the spread of invasive plants, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson announced today.

The 28 grants are being given to local governments, regional invasive species committees and the Invasive Species Council of B.C. to assist their activities and support the objectives of the provincial Invasive Plant Program. This funding is in addition to the $534,000 already earmarked by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations for invasive plant control and management in 2013-14.

Regional invasive species committees, the Invasive Species Council of B.C., local governments, provincial government ministries and stakeholders all work together to raise public awareness, survey invasive plant populations and actively treat high-priority sites to control the spread of invasive plants.

Funding has also been granted to the Invasive Species Council of B.C. to assist with provincial collaboration, co-ordination and communication, and to improve mechanisms for reporting invasive species. The Invasive Species Council of B.C. is based in Williams Lake.

Regional weed committees serve as forums for land managers and other stakeholders to co-ordinate treatment activities and participate in outreach and educational opportunities. There are currently 12 regional weed committees in the province.

Invasive plants are not native to a particular ecosystem and have the potential to displace long-established species. They can cause considerable economic and environmental damage. Invasive plants may disrupt natural ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, increase soil erosion, alter soil chemistry and adversely affect commercial crops.

Quotes:

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson -

"Our government is committed to conserving wildlife habitat and protecting the interests of British Columbia's agriculture and ranching industries. When invasive species threaten those values, we must take decisive action. The grants I've announced today will help support this important work."

Tom Wells, chair, Invasive Species Council of British Columbia -

"The ministry's contribution for invasive species co-ordination is critical not only to our council, but also to our key partners, especially the many regional committees across B.C. We are all working to strengthen important partnerships that result in fewer invasive species being introduced into local environments. By working together, we can reduce future management costs and resource losses and help protect our natural landscapes from the damage caused by invasive species."

Quick Facts:

• The Invasive Plant Program identifies sites where invasive plant species have been found and responds rapidly to contain and eradicate them before they become established and start spreading.

• Currently, some of the most intrusive plants in B.C. are orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds, garlic mustard, cordgrasses and knotweed.

• Other targeted species include knapweed, giant hogweed, black henbane, blueweed, common tansy, tansy ragwort, hoary alyssum, field scabious, leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, Himalayan balsam and Scotch broom.

Learn More:

Invasive Alien Plant Program: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hra/plants/index.htm

Invasive Species Council of British Columbia: http://www.bcinvasives.ca

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261

BACKGROUNDER

Summary of Invasive Plant Program grant distribution for 2013-14:

• Boundary Invasive Species Society $35,600

• Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Invasive Plant Committee $22,000

• Cariboo Regional District $91,000

• Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Committee $36,000

• City of Richmond $6,500

• Coastal Invasive Species Committee $53,800

• Columbia Shuswap Regional District $26,000

• Comox Valley Regional District $12,000

• East Kootenay Invasive Plant Council $190,000

• Fraser Valley Invasive Plant Council $39,400

• Fraser Valley Regional District $25,000

• Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver $26,500

• Invasive Species Council of B.C. $170,000

• Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society $34,000

• Municipality of North Cowichan $6,500

• Northern Rockies Regional Municipality $37,000

• Northwest Invasive Plant Council $295,000

• Peace River Regional District $228,000

• Regional District of Central Okanagan $10,500

• Regional District of East Kootenay $23,300

• Regional District of Kootenay Boundary $40,500

• Regional District of North Okanagan $36,000

• Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen $15,000

• Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council $29,300

• Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society $65,800

• Southern Interior Weed Management Committee $114,800

• The Corporation of Delta $6,500

• Thompson-Nicola Regional District $24,000

Total amount of grants for 2013-14: $1,700,000

Media Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261