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Kootenay group takes action against invasive species

Preventing and stopping the spread of harmful invasive species in BC requires the involvement of all British Columbians.
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Redfish school participated in a broom bash last week that saw them remove Scotch broom from Sunshine Bay Park.

Preventing and stopping the spread of harmful invasive species in BC requires the involvement of all British Columbians, which is why the BC government and several organizations such as the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society have declared the entire month of May as Invasive Species Action Month. By working together and being vigilant, we can stop invasive species from threatening BC’s environment, economy, and society.

“The Kootenay region is ecologically diverse, making our communities a beautiful place to live, work and play, which is why it is vital for people to learn how to prevent, detect and manage invasive species and take action together,” says society executive director Jennifer Vogel.

“Human behaviour has been recognized as the number one pathway for invasive species spread and introduction. Simple actions like cleaning recreation equipment, choosing native plants for your garden and not releasing aquatic pets into the wild can help prevent the spread.”

With summer just around the corner, May is the perfect time to take action on invasive species. To promote Invasive Species Action Month, the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society invites you to visit bcinvasivesmonth.com and post to social media using the hashtag #bcinvasives.

The website includes links to events and activities being held by regional invasive species organizations, local governments and stewardship organizations across BC. Now is the time to learn how to get involved, to prevent invasive species from taking hold, and how to keep them from damaging BC’s environment, economy and our society.

In addition, this year’s Invasive Species Action Month includes a photo contest where people can post photos of invasive species and people taking action to prevent their spread. Photos must be posted to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #bcinvasivescontest to enter to win great prizes. More details are available at ckiss.ca

For every week of Invasive Species Action Month, Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society will highlight specific programs that will help you take action against invasives:

Week 1: Don’t Let It Loose! focused on the harm of releasing unwanted pets and aquarium plants into the wild

Week 2: PlantWise, educating gardeners and those in agriculture, ranching and horticulture about preventing and stopping the spread of invasive plants in BC

Week 3: Outdoor Recreation, reminding campers and outdoor sports enthusiasts to Buy it Where you Burn It for firewood, and PlayCleanGo to remove debris from sports equipment to prevent spreading invasives

Week 4: Clean, Drain, Dry focused on educating boaters about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species like mussels and plants

Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society will have an outreach booth, with a variety of free resources tomorrow at the Nelson Garden Festival and May 14 at the Cottonwood Community Market.

Join a movement and take action this month to stop the spread.