Prince George, B.C. – The provincial government is providing $294,000 to Northwest Invasive Plant Council to help control the spread of invasive plants.

Invasive plants are species that have been introduced into British Columbia from other areas. They displace native vegetation and can cause considerable economic and environmental damage. Invasive plants can also disrupt natural ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, increase soil erosion, alter soil chemistry and adversely affect commercial crops.

“This investment will help the Northwest Invasive Plant Council manage, contain and reduce the spread of aggressive, non-native species,” Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond said.  Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris adds “invasive species have serious effects on many industries, as well as to the natural ecosystems on which we rely.”

The provincial Invasive Plant Program identifies sites where new invasive plant species have been found and responds rapidly to contain and eradicate them before they become established and start spreading.

Currently, some of the targeted invasive plant species in B.C. are marsh plume thistle, European common reed, garlic mustard, knotweed, Spartina, orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds, knapweed, giant hogweed, blueweed, common tansy, tansy ragwort, hoary alyssum, field scabious, leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, Himalayan balsam and Scotch broom.