Invasive Species Virtual Fall Forum
November 19, 2025 from 10:30am to 12:30pm
ISCMV and experts in the field of invasive species management will gather on Zoom for a virtual Fall Forum
Date: Wednesday, Nov 19, 10:30am-12:30pm
Registration: Click here to register on zoom
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Inducing Mortality in Bohemian Knotweed (Reynoutria × bohemica) Propagules using Thermal and Drowning Techniques - Adam Soames - Master of Environmental Science student at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops
Forests in Flux: Tracking the Water Relations of Iconic Native vs. Invasive Trees - Brandon Drucker - MSc Geography student at Simon Fraser University
Restoration Planting in Metro Vancouver's Changing Climate - Krystal Brennan - Outreach Coordinator at Echo Ecological
Speakers:
Adam Soames
Speaker bio: Adam Soames is a Master of Environmental Science student at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, specializing in invasive species management. Under the supervision of Dr. Wendy Gardner and in collaboration with Fraser Labs, his research—funded by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure—focuses on developing environmentally sustainable methods for disposing of soils contaminated with knotweed propagules. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, he spent three years in the forestry sector as a postharvest supervisor and environmental coordinator. Alongside his research, he works as an educator at the BC Wildlife Park, a GIS Technician with BC Nature, and a freelance applications developer.
Presentation Summary: Invasive knotweeds in North America—Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), Giant knotweed (R.sachalinensis), and Bohemian knotweed (R. × bohemica)—cause major ecological, structural, and economic harm. They reduce native biodiversity (Beerling et al. 1994; Aguilera et al. 2010; Gerber et al.2008) and cost British Columbia an estimated $30 million annually in control, primarily to prevent damage to roads and foundations. Despite these impacts, most research emphasizes treatment techniques rather than physiological limitations. My research investigates knotweed mortality under thermal and anoxic stress. I aim to determine lethal temperatures, exposure periods, and anoxic durations for rhizomes and seeds, providing data to guide treatments such as incineration, composting, microwave radiation, thermal desorption, and suffocation. Early findings show mortality at 100°C after 60 minutes, and mortality after 150 days in airtight storage.
Brandon Drucker
Speaker bio: Brandon (he/him) is a MSc Geography student at Simon Fraser University, researching how water, climate, and plant physiology interact to shape future forests. Broadly, he is interested in how people define and promote balanced relationships with dynamic ecosystems. Before graduate school, he has spent nearly a decade engaged in urban natural areas management, ecological restoration, and botanical survey along the U.S. West Coast—work that often required navigating unexpected social and environmental dimensions of invasive species. He holds a BS in Environmental Science from California Polytechnic University, Humboldt.
Presentation Summary: In the Pacific Northwest, two differently iconic trees—one native and one invasive—demonstrate opposing trends that may portend consequential shifts in forest structure. Over the past few decades, western redcedar (Thuja plicata), characteristic of the region's ordinarily damp and productive coastal forests, has experienced a marked decline. In contrast, English holly (Ilex aquifolium), known for its adaptability and vigor, has proliferated, and is now designated "invasive" by multiple government agencies. This contrast may reflect underexplored differences between species' ability to access and regulate limited subsurface water supplies during intensifying summer droughts. To explore this possibility, we examined interlinked environmental variables and tree physiological traits at two sites in coastal British Columbia. Our findings reveal novel tree-water relations and advance understanding of regional ecohydrology. Amid ongoing species introductions and climatic change, such insights inform forecasts of forest structure and adaptive natural resource management.
Krystal Brennan
Speaker bio: Krystal Brennan is the Outreach Coordinator at Echo Ecological. She has a BSc in Ecological Restoration and has delivered environmental education programs for 20 years to people of all ages. She develops and leads various outreach and stewardship activities for our organization, and works closely with our project partners, Wildcoast Ecological Society, to manage volunteer events at our various project sites around the Lower Mainland.
Presentation Summary: An overview of the insights gathered from an ecological restoration organization on their efforts to plant native species amid a changing climate. Discover what strategies have proven effective, which haven’t, and the ongoing challenges they face due to rising temperatures and intensified weather events like atmospheric rivers.