Stewardship Series: Closing the Gap

October 27, 2026 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Join ISCMV & Stanely Park Ecology for a free virtual event as part of our Stewardship Series.

Presentation Title: Closing the Gap: Lessons from Two Decades of Invasive Spartina Eradication in Coastal BC

Registration: complete the Zoom registration here

Presentation Description: The invasive Spartina Eradication Program has been underway in British Columbia since 2004, following the identification of the first clone of Spartina anglica in Boundary Bay in 2003. Invasive Spartina spp. are salt-tolerant coastal grasses capable of producing floating seeds, allowing them to spread rapidly along much of the southern BC coastline. Coordinated, large-scale efforts across two regions in southern BC have reduced populations of Spartina anglica and Spartina densiflora by more than 95%. Building on this progress, current work is aimed at eliminating the remaining infestations while addressing the ongoing challenge of Spartina patens, a species that remained undetected in BC for many years. Drawing on experience from a program that maps over 150 km of shoreline annually, this presentation highlights key lessons learned in long-term invasive species management, along with practical guidance for identifying invasive Spartina spp. and reporting new occurrences.

Speaker Bio: Taylor Marriott leads the Spartina Eradication effort for Ducks Unlimited Canada, she also coordinates ongoing long-term monitoring for the Sturgeon Bank Sediment Enhancement Pilot Project, which was testing the use of dredged sediment to alleviate salt marsh recession along the coast of Richmond. Through this work, Taylor has been lucky to survey most of the coastline in the Lower Mainland and Baynes Sound on Vancouver Island. She holds a Specialized BSc in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Alberta. From her education and experience growing up in a small industry town in Northern Alberta, Taylor is passionate about our increasing impacts on the landscape, particularly on ecosystem connectivity and biodiversity