City of Powell River Council will be receiving a report recommending a concerted effort be made and long-term funding be allocated to controlling invasive species.
Ray Boogaards, director of parks, recreation and culture, presented his report at the Tuesday, August 18, committee of the whole meeting.
According to Boogaards, in 2011 the Coastal Invasive Species Committee pooled funding from a number of provincial government departments, other agencies, Powell River Regional District and the city to offer a contract for on-the-ground treatment of invasive plants in the Powell River area. This treatment of areas was used to control invasive plant species and continued in 2012. However, the city was not involved in 2012.
The city resumed its partnership in invasive management control again in 2013. In 2014 the city provided $1,776 in funding for invasive species control. In 2015, approximately $2,500 will be spent on invasive species treatment. The various species requiring management include: giant hogweed sites found on publicly accessible lands within the city; Japanese knotweed sites on publicly accessible lands within the city; removal of butterfly bush along roadsides and next to waterways; and removal of gorse, Scotch broom and English ivy in high-value natural areas.
“We’ve tried to focus on all of those in the last couple of years,” Boogaards said. “One of the worst...is Japanese knotweed. In certain areas, Scotch broom is growing out of control.”
Control is extremely important, Boogaards said. The city is in contact with the invasive plant committee to look at partnerships. There is examination of contributing more than $2,500 because the weeds keep expanding territory.
Boogaards’ recommendation was that city staff members work with Coastal BC Invasive Plant Committee staff to develop a five-year invasive plant management plan. An associated budget submission would be submitted to the city’s five-year capital plan.
Boogaards said an education process for pesticide use will begin in the coming spring because a lot of people don’t know what these invasive species look like. It’s important that people know how to identify these species because some of them spread extremely quickly. In Britain, because of Japanese knotweed infestations, some homeowners cannot get house insurance because it is growing into the foundations, he said.
“It can wreck houses,” he added. “Education is extremely important in all of this.”
Boogaards said he is hoping the plan, if adopted, will be in place by early 2016.
The recommendation will be sent to council for further discussion and potential adoption.
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