It’s crucial to be able to recognize invasive weeds when they spring up in communities across the Fraser Valley.
The Fraser Valley Regional District partnered up with the non-profit Fraser Valley Invasive Species Society (FVISS) to help control the spread of these non-native plants, many of which have a series of negative impacts.
The wet 2020 spring created “ideal growing conditions” for four of the most gnarly invasive weeds in the region: wild chervil, tansy ragwort, giant hogweed, and the various kinds of knotweed, including Japanese knotweed and Bohemian knotweed which are most common in the valley.
The FVISS website has detailed info on the ecological, social and economic impacts of these plants, and what’s being done. There is also a section with many photographs of the most of the current invasive species.
Chervil, ragword, hogweed and knotweed are considered the “four priority invasive weeds” within the FVRD, according to the Aug. 19 quarterly update. The control area covered by FVISS includes eight FVRD Electoral Areas and six municipalities: Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Kent, and Mission.
The society volunteers focus on “education and outreach, and on-the-ground invasive plant management.”
“Invasive species are considered to be one of the greatest threats to biodiversity world-wide, second only to habitat loss,” according to the FVISS home page. “Already introduced plant species represent 26 per cent of the entire flora in British Columbia (BC Conservation Data Centre, Ministry of Environment, 2012).”
To report a weed or to request a pickup of invasive weeds for safe disposal, residents may contact the FVISS at 778-548-3847 or info@fviss.ca
READ MORE: Volunteers remove yellow flag iris
READ MORE: Spread of invasive plants costs Canada
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