Prince George, B.C. – The invaders have escaped our gardens to threaten some natural areas of the city and the Prince George Naturalists Club needs some help dealing with the situation.

The club realizes this is short notice but is asking for volunteers to help remove flowers and seed heads of invasive plants at Carrie Jane Gray Park on Sunday.

The banks of the canals that feed into the Hudson’s Bay Wetland are becoming infested with Himalayan Balsam and common tansy.  Both plants are garden escapees that are pushing out plants in natural areas.  The concern is that these invasives will spread to inaccessible parts of the Wetland downstream toward the Fraser River.

If you can help combat the threat between 9:30 am and noon on Sunday, great.  You are asked to meet up under the Save On Foods sign at the Spruceland Shopping centre at 9:20 am Sunday to sign a waiver and arrange car-pooling

Any adults or teens are welcome to take part.  You are advised to wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and waterproof footwear as work will take place in wet areas.  If you can, take your own hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, work gloves and a personal water bottle.  If you’ve got a long-bladed trimmer that would come in handy as well.

The club is providing garbage bags as well as extra work gloves and clippers if needed.