By Hans Dummerauf. Arrow Lakes Environmental Stewardship Society
Having noticed one of these nurtured four-foot plants in an immaculately kept yard and having known these folks casually for some time, an opportunity to raise awareness seemed appropriate. I accepted a cordial invitation into the garden
“Sure is well kept” I remark, while observing the lawn looks like it came out of a garden catalogue. Nowhere else do I see a lush green one-inch high absolutely weedless thick carpet. I start thinking I should be raking my footsteps behind me
“Looks good,” I say. “By the way, I noticed that shrub there,” I add, motioning to the invader.
“Does that stay green all year round?” I ask.
“It’s very nice, yes, in summer it’s all yellow, little flowers like peas,” he tells me as he gently strokes the long slender nearly leafless ribbed branches. “Looks just like the ones at the Petro-Canada Card-lock in Nakusp. Have you seen those?”
I hesitate – I’m guessing I know where that one came from, “Did you know that the Nakusp school kids are planning to cut those plants next June to get rid of them?”
“Why?” he asks.
Well folks, here’s why – it’s a perennial pest. Scotch Broom is highly aggressive, forming dense monotypic stands, which reduce wildlife and domestic habitat, and hinder revegetation of upland sites and wetland buffers. When ripe, thousands of seeds burst and scatter for yards and can lay dormant for up to 30 years. Its spread is so prolific that several acres can be covered in just a matter of four to five years. With a broad range of colours, Broom infestation is prevalent from Alaska to California along the western coastal states and along eastern coastal states as well.
The CKIPC has rated the Nakusp area as a high priority for its controlled eradication slated for this summer. One repeat target area adjacent to the highway by the Petro-Canada Card Lock site is scheduled to be lopped by the ‘Broom Busters of Nakusp.’
In coordination with CKIPC and the Village of Nakusp, ALESS will join the elementary student volunteers in lopping the invaders prior to seed set while the Village will tend to collect, transport and dispose the spent shrubbery. Another undisclosed target area on private property is also scheduled for biocontrol this summer due to the enormous size of infestation.
After explaining the why to my friend, I attempt the cordial closure several days later: “Would you consider replacing the Broom with forsythia or the evergreen Texas firecracker bush – it blooms orange to scarlet red all summer long?”
According to CKIPC program manager Crystal Klym, private property owners are usually sent a letter stating why invasive plants should be removed and offer removal assistance if so desired, beyond that, nothing else can be done. Such is the case with a persistent Giant Hogweed hedge in New Dever, leaving some neighbouring residents frustrated.
The realization that the efforts of many can be hampered by a few is not well understood, however, in a dream world, let’s keep the broom for sweeping only.
