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ISCMV Spring Forum & AGM 2026 - VanDusen Botanical Garden

May 26, 2026 from 10:30am to 1:30pm

ISCMV Spring Forum & AGM 2026 - VanDusen Botanical Garden photo

Please join the ISCMV Board and staff on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, for our in-person Spring Forum & Annual General Meeting.

Connect with other invasive species practitioners in Metro Vancouver and hear presentations on local projects and species of concern! All participants, will also get a pass to visit the VanDusen Gardens after the close of the forum.

Location: VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1

Time: 10:30am-1:30pm

Cost: $30

Refreshments: Light refreshments will be served

Registration: Fill in our google form

Documents
The following documents will be referenced during the AGM portion of the forum:

  • Spring Forum Event Agenda (pending)
  • AGM agenda & AGM Powerpoint (pending)
  • May 28, 2025 AGM minutes 
  • ISCMV 2025 Annual Report (pending)
  • Draft 2025-2026 Balance Sheet (pending)
  • Draft Budget 2026-2027 (pending)
  • Draft Profit & Loss 2026 (pending)

Board Nominations:

In advance of the 2026 Annual General Meeting, nominations are sought for members of the Board of Directors for the Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver for the 2026-2029 term.

For more information, please visit our Nominations Page. The deadline for nominations is May 19, 2026.

Presentations:

1. Paul Abram, Ph.D. Research Scientist (Biological Control of Insect Pests) : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Name of Presentation: Biological control of Japanese beetle in Metro Vancouver

Presentation Summary: The Japanese beetle has been present in the Metro Vancouver area of British Columbia since 2017 and is the target of a multi-faceted and multi-agency eradication program.   In 2023, research releases of a specialist parasitic fly, the winsome fly (Istocheta aldrichi) began in Port Coquitlam to investigate whether biological control might be an additional useful tool to reduce Japanese beetle populations in British Columbia.  I will summarize the biology and history of use of the winsome fly as a biological control agent, the research that was done leading up to its release in BC, and the ongoing and future work that is planned to track the impact of established winsome fly populations on Japanese beetle in BC.

Bio – Paul Abram has been a Research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) in British Columbia, Canada, since 2016. His research program is focused on measuring the biological control impact of beneficial insects on invasive crop pests, the risks of introduced biological control agents to native Canadian fauna and improving the scientific basis for integrating biological control into pest management programs.

 

2. Dacyn Holinda / Lachlan McKinnon – Metro Vancouver Regional District Staff (TBC)

Title: Stewarding Our Regional Parks: Restoration, Resilience and Lessons Learned

Presentation Overview:  Join the Metro Vancouver West Area Natural Resource Management team as we highlight stewardship work underway across our regional parks system. We aim to showcase the diverse portfolio of restoration projects, including the unique challenges to restoration and habitat enhancement within our parks system. Learn how Metro Vancouver blends both established and emerging stewardship techniques to promote ecosystem resilience and maintain healthy, biodiverse regional parks for present and future generations. Some highlights will include:

  • The success of using geotextile fabric to control Himalayan blackberry
  • Early reforestation efforts in hemlock looper moth disturbed forests
  • Initiatives to restore and replant coastal dune ecosystems within Regional Parks
  • Deep water cutting as a means of aquatic invasive control
  • Challenges and adaptability with herbicide control methods due to supply chain issues

Bio:

Dacyn Holinda is the Natural Resource Management Specialist for West Area Regional Parks, working for Metro Vancouver since 2025. Dacyn is a Registered Professional Biologist, who received his BSc from the University of British Columbia back in 2019. He has worked in various stewardship, conservation and natural resource management roles across the private, non-profit, and public sectors. Dacyn emphasizes taking a holistic and practical approach to his work, focusing on community engagement and partnership building to achieve project success. In his free time Dacyn enjoys Muay Thai, birding, and annoying his girlfriend by pointing out every invasive plant on their hikes.

Lachlan McKinnon is the Natural Resource Management Technician for West Area Regional Parks. He began working with Metro Vancouver in 2023 after receiving his BEnv from Simon Fraser University. Lachlan brings a diverse perspective to the Regional Parks team with a background in invasive management, childcare, and nature education. He is driven by a commitment to protecting natural ecosystems and is always eager to explore new approaches to invasive species control. Outside of work, Lachlan spends his time hiking, fishing, and keeping his houseplants alive

 

3. Sophie Dessureault / Cynthia Sayre 

Title: European Fire Ant Control at Van Dusen Gardens - (Confirmed title TBC)

Presentation Overview: TBC

Bio: TBC