The official Invasive Species Week in B.C. ran from June 6-15, but it is still a good time to organize friends, or even the entire neighbourhood, in a community weed pull. Pulling weeds is a lot more fun if you have a group of people working together. A lot of invasive plants have not gone to seed yet so now is the perfect time to get rid of them. If you can stop them from spreading this year just think how much better it could look next year.
Even if you just take a look around your own yard and spend a bit of time taking out the invasives on your own property, it will make a big difference in the grand scheme of things.
Be sure to dispose of your invasive species properly. As land stewards we all have a responsibility to take care of our planet.
There are other things you can do, including thinking twice about buying exotic pets. Some of them can live 50 or more years. Are you ready for that kind of commitment? For example, releasing a red-eared slider turtle into the wild can bring disease and competition for resources.
Never dump the contents of your aquarium into any body of water. There can be a lot of invasive plants and species in your fish tank that could destroy the place you dump it.
Often times we don’t see the damage we have caused until years later. But it’s never too late to start repairing the damage. For more information on invasive species please contact the Boundary Invasive Species Society at boundaryinvasives@gmail.com or 250-446-2232 or check out their Facebook page.