February Ivy Basket Weaving
ISCMV Fall Forum 2024
Intro to Japanese Beetles
Conservation Connections 2024
Burnaby Stewardship - Central Park - Sept 28, 2024
Wings over Iona
Stewardship Series: Seeds & Stewardship
Emerald Ash Borer Expanded Regulation Area in BC
News Release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency:
June 28, 2024 - Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has updated its regulated areas for emerald ash borer (EAB - Agrilus planipennis) to include an area in British Columbia, in an effort to slow the insect's spread.
The regulated area in British Columbia includes the City of Vancouver, the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus and the University Endowment Lands (UEL). This is the first expansion of the EAB regulated area in British Columbia.
EAB is most commonly spread through the movement of firewood and other infested ash wood products, although it can also spread by flying up to 10 kilometers.
Effective immediately, ash material (such as logs, branches and woodchips) and all species of firewood cannot be moved outside of the regulated area without permission from the CFIA. If you need to move ash material, please contact your local CFIA office to request written authorization.
Although the EAB poses no threat to human health, it is highly destructive to ash trees. It has already killed millions of ash trees in regulated areas in Canada and the United States and poses a major economic and environmental threat to urban and forested areas of North America.
The CFIA will continue to survey and monitor the spread of this pest in British Columbia and will continue to work with federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations partners and organizations to slow its spread.
If you spot EAB outside regulated areas, report it to the CFIA to help stop the spread.
Photo Credit: Debbie Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Watch & Report Invasive Insects!
(le français suit)
Do you spend time monitoring, photographing or observing insects? If so, your help is needed to watch for and report invasive and migratory insect pests that harm plants, causing damage to Canada’s environment, farm lands, forests, parks and other natural areas. Early detection is critical for slowing the spread of these insect pests.
View the poster for your region (see pdfs below) to learn more about priority insect pests to watch out for. Use the QR code to report your detections!
This initiative is a collaborative project developed by the Insect Surveillance Community of Practice of the Canadian Plant Health Council, a multi-partner body that coordinates action for the protection of plant health in Canada.
Passez-vous du temps à surveiller, photographier ou observer des insectes? Dans l’affirmative, votre aide est nécessaire pour surveiller et signaler les insectes ravageurs envahissants et migrateurs qui nuisent aux plantes et causent des dommages à l’environnement, aux terres agricoles, aux forêts, aux parcs et à d’autres aires naturelles du Canada. La détection précoce est essentielle pour ralentir la propagation de ces insectes nuisibles.
Consultez l’affiche de votre région pour en savoir plus sur les insectes nuisibles prioritaires que vous pouvez rechercher et utilisez le code QR pour signaler vos détections!
Cette initiative est un projet de collaboration élaboré par la Communauté de pratique de la surveillance des insectes du Conseil canadien de la santé des végétaux, un organisme multipartite qui coordonne les mesures de protection de la santé des végétaux au Canada.
Burnaby Stewardship: Deer Lake - July 12, 2024
Spring Forum & AGM 2024
In honour of Invasive Species Action Month, ISCMV took action in Burnaby by hosting a public Spring Forum & AGM yesterday at the Shadbolt Centre for the Performing Arts. We welcomed experts from across Metro Vancouver and beyond to share their knowledge.
Highlights included:
- Brian Campbell of West Coast Seeds sharing inovations in invasive resilient lawn blends, including mixes of fescue and micro clover.
- Tracey Tobin, with the city of Burnaby, sharing how beneficial nematodes and BTG (a new microbial product) has been effective in managing chafer beetle spread.
- Sarah Demian & Jaylene Braitwaite, with the Knotweed Lab at Trinity Western University, sharing how knotweed along the Chilliwack River as increased five-fold following the 2021 flood, leading to soil erosion and changes in soil quality.
- Collaborative eco-artists, Elena Kirby and Masumi Rodriguez, sharing their experience with paper making with invasive ivy.
All in all it was a great event, bringing together people from across our region to learn and network. Thank you for everyone who presented and attended!
Ready, Set, Pull! - Nov 9, 2024
Ready, Set, Pull! - Oct 5 2024
Ready, Set, Pull! - Sept 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - Oct 2024
Park Stewardship in Everett Crowley Park - May 25, 2024
Park Stewardship in Everett Crowley Park - May 11, 2024
Ivy Basket Weaving - June 2024
Wildlife Friendly Gardening - June 2024
ISCMV 2024 Spring Forum & AGM
MOTI Invasive Plant Webinar - April 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park Native Planting - Nov 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - Sept 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - Aug 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Jim Lorimer Park - Aug 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Deer Lake - July 27 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Deer Lake - July 19 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - July 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Deer Lake - July 2024
Glenbrook Ravine Native Planting - Oct 2024
Glenbrook Ravine Invasive Pull - Sept 2024
Glenbrook Ravine Invasive Pull - June 2024
Glenbrook Ravine Invasive Pull - May 2024
Glenbrook Ravine Invasive Pull - April 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Deer Lake - May 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Jim Lorimer Park - June 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - June 2024
Burnaby Stewardship: Central Park - May 2024
Plant Walk at Watershed Park
Taking Action in Delta!
On Saturday, March 23, ISCMV and the City of Delta hosted our first Community Weed Pull of the season at Pebble Hill Park.
12 volunteers came out to help remove invasive ivy and holly. Together, we managed to clear approximately 4.0 cubic meters of plant material! Now there is more space for native plants to grow and thrive. Everyone enjoyed helping the environment while connecting with their community.
Check out more of our upcoming Delta Community Weed Pulls on our event page. Everyone is welcome!
Stewardship Series: Food Forests
Delta Community Weed Pull 3
Spring Seminar 2024
Delta Community Weed Pull 2
Delta Community Weed Pull 1
Ivy Basket Weaving at VanDusen Gardens
Invasive Species: What they Are and How to Identify Them
Stewardship Series: Winter Plant Walk with Julia Alards-Tomalin
Garlic Mustard
Introduction to Invasive Species in Metro Vancouver
Himalayan blackberry
Giant Hogweed
European Fire Ant
English holly
Glenbrook Ravine Planting 2023
Our final event at Glenbrook Ravine for 2023 was a huge success! We had 26 people join us on a brilliantly sunny Saturday to plant 214 native species at the ravine. Along with some familiar shrub and tree species planted in previous years such as Big leaf maple and Thimbleberry, we planted plenty of new species such as Mock orange, Pacific bleeding heart, Fringe cup, and more!
It was also ISCMV Executive Director, Tasha Murray's, last day as a project coordinator at the ravine, so we celebrated her hard work with this project by throwing a small send-off party. Thank you to ISCMV and to Tasha for all your contributions to the Glenbrook Ravine Restoration Project, and a huge thank you to Neighbourhood Small Grants for helping fund Tasha’s much-deserved send off!
A big thank you the City of New Westminster Community Grants for providing funding to this community project, to New Westminster Environmental Partners for their endless support, and of course to all our volunteers who helped out at the ravine this year – this couldn’t have happened without your enthusiasm and passion for preserving this amazing greenspace!
Want to get involved with the Glenbrook Ravine Park Restoration Project? Reach out to Melanie at melapps89@gmail.com to be added to the project mailing list and stay up to date on when our next events at the ravine will be!
Photo credit: Melanie Apps
BC Seed Gathering
On Friday, Nov 3, 2023, ISCMV Executive Director, Tasha Murray, presented to delegates at the annual BC Seed Gathering. Held at the Richmond campus of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University, this conference was hosted by FarmFolk CityFolk.
Tasha shared the message of invasive species management to seed caretakers from across BC. Delegates were very keen and had so many great questions about how to manage invasive plants and keep them out of seed collections.
Here are some invasive plants that are commonly found wildflower seed mixes, but should be avoided in our gardens:
- Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
- Bachelor’s button (Centaurea cyanus)
- Blueweed (Echium vulgare)
- Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
- Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
- Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
- Knapweed species (Centaurea spp.)
- Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
- Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
- St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Thank you Tasha for sharing your knowledge on invasive species to those in our area!
Invasives 2024 Forum & AGM - Feb 2024
Are You Our Next Executive Director?
The Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver (ISCMV) is a non-profit organization and registered federal charity dedicated to minimizing the impact of invasive species. The ISCMV provides leadership in the region on invasive species management through programs, resources, services, and collaboration with partners.
We seek a highly motivated and independent Executive Director to lead the organization. The successful candidate will have a keen sense of how to support and improve invasive species management in the region, and the ISCMV’s role as a regional leader. With direction from a Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for management of all aspects of the society, including administration, financial oversight, human resources (managing a small team of part-time staff), consultation on invasive species projects, education program delivery, and execution of the organization’s strategic plan.
This dynamic position may be well-suited to a professional with other commitments or already working in the non-profit, education, environmental or invasive species sectors.
The complete job posting is available below. The application deadline is November 22, 2023.
Photo credit: Scott McAlpine, BCIT
English & Irish Ivies
Butterfly Bush
ARMS Invasive Species Removal - Oct 2023
Stewardship Session - Youth Perspectives in Stewardship - Nov 2023
American Bullfrog
European Chafer Beetle
ISCMV Fall Forum - Nov 2023
Invasive Plant Removal Workshop - Oct 2023
Conservation Connections - Oct 2023
Guichon Creek Day at BCIT - September 2023
Stewardship Session - Eco-Art with Invasive Plants - October 2023
Donate Now
Simply fill out the form below to donate. We sincerely thank you for your support!
Invasive species are recognized globally as the second greatest threat to biodiversity after direct habitat loss due to humans. You can help fight the spread of invasive species by donating to the Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver. In the fight against invasive species, prevention is the most effective tool, and prevention begins with education.
By donating, you are helping to fund education, resources & learning opportunities, such as:
- Education and training for the general public through workshops & presentations
- Direct response to hundreds of inquiries every year from residents and professionals working on invasive species
- Guest speakers & professional development for stewards and volunteer groups through our Regional Stewardship Series
Plant Apps
The right app can help you identify plants (and other species), connect with nature, participate in community science projects, and even discover which plants are dangerous or invasive. Whether you are new to plant identification, want to improve your skills, or need verification of a challenging plant, there are apps to help!
Below is a list of available plant apps that can be used for the identification of native and/or invasive plants. A printable PDF version of this list can be found at the bottom of the page.
This list was compiled by ISCMV in August 2023 for informational purposes only. If you know of any other plant apps that you do not see on this list, please contact us.
| Application | Overview | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Uses a team of experts who receive and analyze photos, posting the ID |
|
first 3 IDs are free, then $1/per correct ID |
|
|
Point your phone's camera at a plant and Google Lens will analyze the image to ID the plant |
|
free |
|
|
ID plants in the field and confirm findings with amateur and professional naturalists from around the world |
|
free |
|
|
Uses high-tech AI to ID plants based on leaf photos |
|
free |
|
|
ID 1,000,0000+ plants everyday with 98% accuracy |
|
7-day free trial, then annual subscription ($39.99-$49.99) |
|
|
Photos are collected and analyzed by Scientists to protect plant biodiversity |
|
free |
|
|
Instantly ID over 600,000 types of plants: flowers, trees, succulents, mushrooms, cacti and more |
|
monthly subscription ($4.99) annual subscription ($25.99) |
|
|
Report invasive species plant and animal sightings in BC |
|
free |
|
|
Drawing from millions of wildlife observations on iNaturalist, Seek shows you lists of commonly recorded species |
|
free |
|
|
Tool for livestock and food producers in BC to help identify, manage & minimize impacts on operations |
|
free |
|
|
Identify flowers, where they grow, and whether or not they're poisonous |
|
Offers in app purchases |
|
|
Built in IOS visual search engine lets you ID and learn about objects found in your iPhone photos |
|
free (feature built into newer iPhones & iPads) |
Native Plant Walk with Matthew Williams
ISCMV & Stanley Park Ecology Society were honoured to welcome Matthew Williams of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh nation for a Native Plant Walk in Stanley Park on Aug 1, 2023. Mathew guided 18 participants on a walk up South Creek trail and around the southeast side of Beaver Lake. Matthew pointed out the native plants of the park and shared their traditional uses.
"Squamish is a gift giving society. We show wealth, not by how much we have, but by how much we can give away" - Matthew Williams
Matthew was very generous with sharing his knowledge and encouraged us to continue to pass the knowledge on to others.
So here are some highlights of the knowledge shared:
- sword fern spores can be made into a paste to treat minor burns like sunburns
- salmonberries are considered an indicator species for Chinook spawning
- Vancouver in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh is K'emk'emeláy, which means place of the maple trees
- Big leaf maples are used for making paddles
- red elderberries are edible if boiled for 24 hours into a thick molasses
- forest gardens, historically planted by coastal peoples, helped increase biodiversity of the forest, providing food for both people and the animals.
- thimbleberry leaves can be made into a paste to treat acne
- in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language the word mushroom can be translated to mean "umbrella of a dead person".
- salal berries can be boiled to create a dye for cedar or wool.
- plants such as, stinging nettle & Devil's club, which are often vilified by the public, actually have rich medicinal uses.
Thank you to Matthew Williams for sharing your knowledge with us!
For more photos, check out our Facebook post
Let’s Look at Invasive Plants - July 2023
Stewardship Series: Native Plant Walk - Aug 2023
Nature Connections in the City - Aug 2023
Himalayan Balsam Pull at Deer Lake - Aug 2023
Policies
Japanese Beetle Webinar - June 2023
Wildlife-Friendly Gardening - July 2023
Ready, Set, Pull! - Oct 2023
Ready, Set, Pull! - Sept 16, 2023
Ready, Set, Pull! - Sept 9 2023
Plant Native Shrubs and Trees in Central Park - Oct 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Jim Lorimer Park - Sept 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Central Park - Sept 2023
Invasive Plant Pull at Central Park - Aug 2023
Himalayan Balsam Pull at Deer Lake - July 22 2023
Himalayan Balsam Pull at Deer Lake - July 14 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Central Park - July 2023
Himalayan Balsam Pull at Deer Lake - July 2023
Himalayan Balsam Pull at Deer Lake - June 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Jim Lorimer Park - June 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Central Park - June 2023
Invasive Plant Pull in Central Park - May 2023
Environmental Project Night
2023 Spring Forum & AGM
On Thursday, May 11, 2023, 1:30-3:30pm, we held our ISCMV Spring Forum & AGM. The event was held at the beautiful, newly built Port Coquitlam Community Centre. 41 individuals gathered, from across Metro Vancouver, representing environmental non-profits, city governments, businesses, and post-secondary institutions.
ISCMV Executive Director, Tasha Murray, welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave a short summary of the important work that ISCMV has been doing (since 2006) as a non-profit. This work includes: answering questions, connecting people, training staff, planning stewardship projects/events, and more!
ISCMV new Operations Coordinator, Jillian Stewart, then introduced the first guest speaker, Tracy Hueppelsheuser, Entomologist with the Plant and Animal Health Branch of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Tracy outlined the spotted lanternfly stages of growth, from an egg mass to a fully formed adult, with its distinctive bright red spotted wings. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that can cause plant dieback and plant death, particularly for grape and fruit trees. This invader has not yet been detected in Canada, but it is rapidly spreading from the East coast of the United States. Tracy noted that the spotted lanternfly also feeds on the tree of heaven, an invasive tree common in interior B.C., and present in coastal B.C. Tracy advised us to watch to see how the spotted lanternfly spreads in 2023. It is truly an invasive species to be on the lookout for!
Tasha Murray then introduced the second guest speaker, Jocelyn Herbert, Natural Areas Technician with the City of Surrey. Jocelyn presented a comparison of English holly management methods in Redwood Park, Surrey. Jocelyn has been involved with studying the effectiveness of three different management methods for English holly: stem cut, stem cut + herbicide application on the stump, herbicide injection in the stem, and a control group. A year after applying each method, Jocelyn found no statistically significant difference between the methods and the number of sprout deaths. With stem injection, there was an overall decrease in plant health and crown dieback, as compared to the control. However, no injected trees died after one year. Jocelyn theorized that the methods may need a longer study period to show full effect and that the type of herbicide available in Canada may have influenced results.
Tasha Murray then led the portion of the Spring Forum dedicated to the ISCMV Annual Meeting, along with Vice Chair, Ken Crosby. After approving the 2022 AGM minutes, Tasha presented the ISCMV Year-in-review. Our Annual Report is available here, for those who wish to read the full document. Tasha acknowledged the amazing support of our 51 partners, 19 funding partners, and the network of invasive species committees across the province. Some highlights of ISCMV operational activities include: surveying 248 sites, treating 130 sites, and organizing 29 stewardship events. In terms of outreach and education, ISCMV addressed 390 inquiries, delivered 96 programs, and created 89 social media posts. ISCMV also created 3 new regional best practice guides & factsheets. After sharing a draft balance sheet and budget for 2023-2024, Tasha presented a special resolution to repeal and replace the constitution, in preparation for ISCMV becoming a registered charity. The 32 present voting members approved this resolution. After recognizing the important contribution of the board of directors (including outgoing board members Hélène Marcoux & Gywn Taylor) & staff, Director Lisa Dreves presented the nominees, Brian Campbell, Kim Houghton, Laurie Bates-Frymel, and Paul Cipywinyk, for 2023-2026 board of directors. The directors were elected through acclimation.
Following a break, where participants had an opportunity to network over coffee, Nanaimo bars, fruit, and trail mix, Jillian welcomed our third guest speaker, Grace Nombrado, ISCMV Communication Coordinator and President of Free the Fern Stewardship Society. Grace presented how invasive plants can be transformed into eco-art. She shared 4 eco-art projects, including: ivy baskets, charcoal pencils, handmade paper, and bird nesting cages. Grace outlined the materials and methods needed to create each type of eco-art. She acknowledged the importance of partnering with other eco-artists in the community.
Then Jillian welcomed our fourth guest speaker, Melanie Apps, prospective graduate of the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Melanie presented on the Glenbrook Ravine Restoration Project, which was started in 2017 by Kyle Routledge. Melanie now leads the project, organizing 4 blackberry shrub removal events and one fall planting event per year. Melanie described the stewardship site, the progress with blackberry removal, and the types of native species planted. To reduce the effect of soil erosion, in 2022 volunteers successfully installed Willow stakes in the Glenbrook ravine. In addition, Melanie led a full site survey in 2022, digging soil pits and counting native plants (with the support of BCIT students). She concluded by outlining an ambitious 10-year plan and budget for the Glenbrook Ravine stewardship project.
Jillian then introduced our final speaker, David R. Clements, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences with Trinity Western University. David gave an engaging presentation on how bohemian knotweed has spread in the Chilliwack-Vedder River, following the November 2021 floods. After introducing the invasive plant and possible control methods, David shared how knotweed can rapidly spread on watersheds. Bohemian knotweed is well adapted to survive in water, with features like: larger seed wings for floating, high germination rates regardless of current, and an ability to survive as a seedling for up to 51.4 days fully immersed in water. After the 2021 floods, knotweed was able to rapidly disperse along the Chilliwack-Vedder River, leading to a 5-fold increase in new knotweed sprouts. David, with support of his research students, will continue to study the spread of knotweed along the river and its tributaries.
Thank you to our presenters and attendees at the ISCMV 2023 Spring Forum & AGM. Please check out our event page to view all presentations from the event. We look forward to seeing many of you at future ISCMV forums and field tours.
Photo credit: Paul Cipywnyk
2023 Spring Forum & AGM
On Thursday, May 11, 2023, 1:30-3:30pm, we held our ISCMV Spring Forum & AGM. The event was held at the beautiful, newly built Port Coquitlam Community Centre. 41 individuals gathered, from across Metro Vancouver, representing environmental non-profits, city governments, businesses, and post-secondary institutions.
ISCMV Executive Director, Tasha Murray, welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave a short summary of the important work that ISCMV has been doing (since 2006) as a non-profit. This work includes: answering questions, connecting people, training staff, planning stewardship projects/events, and more!
ISCMV new Operations Coordinator, Jillian Stewart, then introduced the first guest speaker, Tracy Hueppelsheuser, Entomologist with the Plant and Animal Health Branch of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Tracy outlined the spotted lanternfly stages of growth, from an egg mass to a fully formed adult, with its distinctive bright red spotted wings. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that can cause plant dieback and plant death, particularly for grape and fruit trees. This invader has not yet been detected in Canada, but it is rapidly spreading from the East coast of the United States. Tracy noted that the spotted lanternfly also feeds on the tree of heaven, an invasive tree common in interior B.C., and present in coastal B.C. Tracy advised us to watch to see how the spotted lanternfly spreads in 2023. It is truly an invasive species to be on the lookout for!
Tasha Murray then introduced the second guest speaker, Jocelyn Herbert, Natural Areas Technician with the City of Surrey. Jocelyn presented a comparison of English holly management methods in Redwood Park, Surrey. She hads been involved with studying the effectiveness of three different management methods for English holly: stem cut, stem cut + herbicide application on the stump, herbicide injection in the stem, and a control group. A year after applying each method, Jocelyn found no statistically significant difference between the methods and the number of sprout deaths. With stem injection, there was an overall decrease in plant health and crown dieback, as compared to the control. However, no injected trees died after one year. Jocelyn theorized that the methods may need a longer study period to show full effect and that the type of herbicide available in Canada may have influenced results.
Tasha Murray then led the portion of the Spring Forum dedicated to the ISCMV Annual Meeting, along with Vice Chair, Ken Crosby. After approving the 2022 AGM minutes, Tasha presented the ISCMV Year-in-review. Our Annual Report is available here, for those who wish to read the full document. Tasha acknowledged the amazing support of our 51 partners, 19 funding partners, and the network of invasive species committees across the province. Some highlights of ISCMV operational activities include: surveying 248 sites, treating 130 sites, and organizing 29 stewardship events. In terms of outreach and education, ISCMV addressed 390 inquiries, delivered 96 programs, and created 89 social media posts. ISCMV also created 3 new regional best practice guides & factsheets. After sharing a draft balance sheet and budget for 2023-2024, Tasha presented a special resolution to repeal and replace the constitution, in preparation for ISCMV becoming a registered charity. The 32 present voting members approved this resolution. After recognizing the important contribution of the board of directors (including outgoing board members Hélène Marcoux & Gywn Taylor) & staff, Director Lisa Dreves presented the nominees, Brian Campbell, Kim Houghton, Laurie Bates-Frymel, and Paul Cipywinyk, for 2023-2026 board of directors. The directors were elected through acclimation.
Following a break, where participants had an opportunity to network over coffee, Nanaimo bars, fruit, and trail mix, Jillian welcomed our third guest speaker, Grace Nombrado, ISCMV Communication Coordinator and President of Free the Fern Stewardship Society. Grace presented how invasive plants can be transformed into eco-art. She shared 4 eco-art projects, including: ivy baskets, charcoal pencils, handmade paper, and bird nesting cages. Grace outlined the materials and methods needed to create each type of eco-art. She acknowledged the importance of partnering with other eco-artists in the community.
Then Jillian welcomed our fourth guest speaker, Melanie Apps, prospective graduate of the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Melanie presented on the Glenbrook Ravine Restoration Project, which was started in 2017 by Kyle Routledge. Melanie now leads the project, organizing 4 blackberry shrub removal events and one fall planting event per year. Melanie described the stewardship site, the progress with blackberry removal, and the types of native species planted. To reduce the effect of soil erosion, in 2022 volunteers successfully installed Willow stakes in the Glenbrook ravine. In addition, Melanie led a full site survey in 2022, digging soil pits and counting native plants (with the support of BCIT students). She concluded by outlining an ambitious 10-year plan and budget for the Glenbrook Ravine stewardship project.
Jillian then introduced our final speaker, David R. Clements, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences with Trinity Western University. David gave an engaging presentation on how bohemian knotweed has spread in the Chilliwack-Vedder River, following the November 2021 floods. After introducing the invasive plant and possible control methods, David shared how knotweed can rapidly spread on watersheds. Bohemian knotweed is well adapted to survive in water, with features like: larger seed wings for floating, high germination rates regardless of current, and an ability to survive as a seedling for up to 51.4 days fully immersed in water. After the 2021 floods, knotweed was able to rapidly disperse along the Chilliwack-Vedder River, leading to a 5-fold increase in new knotweed sprouts. David, with support of his research students, will continue to study the spread of knotweed along the river and its tributaries.
Thank you to our presenters and attendees at the ISCMV 2023 Spring Forum & AGM. Please check out our event page to view all presentations from the event. We look forward to seeing many of you at future ISCMV forums and field tours.
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ISCMV 2023 Spring Forum & AGM
Invasive Free Species Hanging Planter Workshop - May 2023
February Ivy Basket Weaving
February 22, 2025
Join the ivy basket weaving workshop at VanDusen Gardens