Celebrate Invasive Species Action Month with us and learn how to protect the incredible ecosystems that surround us.

This years’ theme is “Small Actions, Big Impact” because even the smallest steps—like brushing your boots or planting native species—can help stop the spread of invasive species. Whether you’re in your backyard, walking a forest trail, or paddling a lake, your choices shape the future of our food systems, biodiversity, and natural spaces.

May 3-9: Protecting Agriculture, First Foods, and Foraging
Safeguarding food systems starts with preventing the spread of invasive species. This week, we’re spotlighting the essential connections between ecosystem health, food security, and cultural resilience. From farms to forests, invasive species pose a serious threat—they degrade soil, outcompete native plants, damage crops, and endanger First Foods that are deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge and traditions.

May 10-16: Healthy Gardens and Naturescapes

Our gardens and greenspaces can be powerful tools for conservation. This week, we’re highlighting how thoughtful planting choices can support biodiversity, protect native species, and prevent the spread of invasive plants.

Whether you’re growing vegetables, vibrant flowers, or pollinator-friendly plants, choosing PlantWise options helps create healthier environments for birds, bees, and other wildlife. By avoiding invasive ornamentals, we reduce the risk of these species spreading into nearby forests, fields, and waterways.

May 17-23 Enjoying Nature on land

Spending time outdoors connects

us with the land—but it also comes with responsibility. This week, we’re highlighting how hiking, biking, and other land-based activities can unintentionally spread invasive species. Seeds, spores, and soil can hitch a ride

on our boots, pets, bikes, and gear, moving from one place to another without us even knowing.

May 24-31 Enjoying Nature on water

Lakes, rivers, and wetlands are essential for clean water, recreation, and healthy ecosystems. This week, we’re highlighting how water-based activities—such as boating, paddling, and fishing—can unintentionally spread invasive species between waterways. Aquatic invaders like zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil threaten fish habitats, clog infrastructure, and disrupt the natural balance of our freshwater systems. Small actions like cleaning, draining, and drying your gear can make a powerful difference.

Whirling Disease Webinar

The recording for the recent webinar Protecting BC’s Fish & Waterways: What Anglers & Boaters Need to Know About Whirling Disease is now available. 

When working in the Columbia River watershed:

• Decontamination is required for government staff and contractors.

• It is a condition of all permits involving work in and around water.

See the Provincial Decontamination Protocol HERE

Thanks for helping protect BC’s fish and waterways by spreading the word.

Why It’s a Problem:
Common periwinkle was once a garden favorite, praised for its fast growth and dense, evergreen ground cover. But this pretty plant is now a serious invader in BC’s forests. It escapes gardens and takes over the forest understory, forming thick mats that smother native species and reduce biodiversity.

How to Identify:

Growth Form: Trailing plant that forms dense mats (does not climb trees).

Flowers: 5-petalled, violet to white, 20–30 mm wide; blooms in late spring to early summer.

Leaves: Glossy, dark green, egg-shaped, 3–9 cm long, on evergreen stems.

Fruit: Cylindrical pods, 3–5 cm long.

Prevent Spread
– Avoid planting or trading periwinkle.
– Don’t move soil from infested areas—it may contain root fragments or seeds

Control Methods
– Pull small infestations by hand.
– Smother plants using tarp or matting for 4–6 months.
– No known biocontrol agents, though fungal diseases may affect it.

Dispose Responsibly
– Bag and tarp all plant material before disposal.
– Take waste to a designated invasive species bin at your local landfill or transfer station.
– Never compost or burn periwinkle at home—it requires high heat to kill.

Try These Native Alternatives Instead:
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

False lily of the valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)
Kinnickinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Lowfast cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Lowfast’)
Redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana)

We’re delighted to recognize Laura Gaster, our Acting Executive Director, who celebrated 10 years with CSISS in April! Over the past decade, Laura has brought dedication, leadership, and vibrancy to our work.

Here’s a snapshot of Laura’s incredible impact:

Invasive plant surveys completed: 3,795

Different species surveyed (IAPP species): 88

Top 3 most surveyed species:

1. Oxeye Daisy – 334 surveys

2. Bohemian Knotweed – 277 surveys

3. Chicory – 243 surveys

Thank you, Laura, for everything you’ve contributed to CSISS and the landscapes we work to protect!

We’re excited to kick off the 2025 field season with some staffing updates and leadership transitions!

Welcome to the team:
Bishop Carasquero – Engagement and Communications Program Assistant
We’re thrilled to welcome Bishop to the CSISS team for the summer! Bishop brings curiosity, enthusiasm, and a positive energy to both our fieldwork and outreach events. Be sure to say hello and ask him a question when you see him out and about across the region!

Returning staff in new roles:
We’re fortunate to have experienced team members stepping into new and expanded roles this season:

Emma Wiebe – Field Technician

Marlee Verlieh – Senior Field Technician

Leadership transitions:

Laura Gaster – Acting Executive Director

Jess Booth – Communications and Engagement Manager, and now also Acting Manager and second-in-command to Laura

Nolan Novotny – Acting Field Operations Coordinator, backfilling for Laura during her acting director role

Here’s to another successful field season with this incredible team!

Tsunami of wild pigs is encroaching on parts of Saskatchewan

CBC News

A wild boar recently killed above the tree line in north-central Saskatchewan signals that feral pigs are continuing to spread northward into the Boreal forest. University of Saskatchewan professor Ryan Brook, who leads the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project, described the ongoing spread as a “disaster in slow motion.” Wild boars, highly adaptable and destructive, travel in aggressive groups and are difficult to control. Brook warns they pose serious ecological threats, destroying crops and wildlife, and eating everything from berries to small mammals and even adult deer. The incident was reported after a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation shot a boar near Weyakwin, highlighting the pigs’ unchecked invasion across the Canadian Prairies.

Photo: Ryan Brook

Tackling Himalayan Balsam

CABI podcast

This episode of the CABI podcast explores Himalayan balsam, a beautiful but highly invasive plant introduced to the UK in the 19th century. Experts Kate Pollard and Sonal Varia explain how this aggressive species outcompetes native plants and spreads rapidly along waterways. They share insights into CABI’s innovative biological control program using a host-specific rust fungus from the Himalayas to help reduce balsam’s dominance and restore native biodiversity. While eradication isn’t possible, this sustainable method offers long-term control.

Protecting Agriculture, First Foods, and Foraging- Revelstoke: “Boots, Berries & Invaders”
Friday, May 16 |  5–6 PM

This hands-on, all-ages event brings together community members, farmers, and knowledge keepers to explore how invasive species impact what we grow, gather, and eat. Learn how to prevent their spread while celebrating local food traditions and ecological stewardship.
Hosted by CSISS in partnership with the, Revelstoke Food Commons, Revelstoke Local Food Initiative and the Indigenous Friendship Society.

Healthy Gardens and Naturescapes

Information Booth – Revelstoke Garden Centre-  Friday, May 16|  10 AM – 1 PM

Information Booth- Revelstoke Farmers Market- Saturday, May 17 | 8 AM- 1 PM

Enjoying Nature on Land- Golden Plant ID Walk & BioBlitz
Thursday, May 22nd | 2–3 PM (MT)
Join us for a hands-on, educational walk through Keith King Memorial Park to celebrate Invasive Species Action Month! This free guided walk will introduce participants to common invasive plants found in the Golden area, how to identify and report them using the iNaturalist app, and how invasive species affect local biodiversity, recreation, and agriculture.

Enjoying Nature on Water- Aquatic Adventure & Clean Drain Dry Demo – Salmon Arm
Date TBC – Stay tuned!
Dive into aquatic species ID, demo stations, and hands-on prevention tips.

Other Events

Salmon Arm Car trunk Sale | Saturday May 24

Yellow Flag Iris Weedpull, Little White Lake | Thursday June 12

Contact CSISS to book a training presentation for your organization at: info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org