May is Invasive Species Action Month in BC !
Preventing and stopping the spread of harmful invasive species in BC requires the involvement of all British Columbians, which is why the BC government and several organizations such as the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) have declared the entire month of May as Invasive Species Action Month. By working together and being vigilant, we can stop invasive species from threatening BC’s environment, economy and society.
With summer just around the corner, May is the perfect time to take action on invasive species. To promote Invasive Species Action Month, CSISS invites British Columbians to visitwww.bcinvasivesmonth.com and to post to social media using the hashtag #bcinvasives. The website includes links to events and activities being held by CSISS, other regional invasive species committees, local governments and stewardship organizations across BC.
In addition, this year’s Invasive Species Action Month includes a photo contest where people can post photos of invasive species and people taking action to prevent their spread. Photos must be posted to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #bcinvasivescontest to enter to win great prizes. More details are available at www.bcinvasivesmonth.com.
For every week of Invasive Species Action Month, CSISS will highlight specific programs that help British Columbians take action against invasives:
- Week 1: Don’t Let It Loose! focused on the harm of releasing unwanted pets and aquarium plants into the wild
- Week 2: PlantWise, educating gardeners and those in agriculture, ranching and horticulture about preventing and stopping the spread of invasive plants in BC
- Week 3: Outdoor Recreation, reminding campers and outdoor sports enthusiasts to Buy it Where you Burn It for firewood, and Play Clean Go to remove debris from sports equipment to prevent spreading invasives
- Week 4: Clean Drain Dry focused on educating boaters about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species like mussels and plants.
CSISS will be hosting a variety of events in support of Invasive Species Action Month including:
Workshops:
- May 18-19, 2016. Salmon Arm, Plant Identification Workshop with Ken Marr and Okanagan College. FREE
- May 27, 2016. Revelstoke, Community Based Social Marketing with CBEEN and NCES
- May 28, 2016. Revelstoke, Teaching About Invasive Species with CBEEN and NCES
- May 12, 2016. Revelstoke, 9am-11am OR 12pm-2pm. Invasive Plant ID and Management Workshop. FREE
- May 31, 2016. Golden, 10am-12pm. Invasive Plant ID and Management Workshop. FREE
- May 10, 2016. Sicamous, 9-11am. Invasive Plant ID and Management Workshop. FREE
- May 10, 2016. Salmon Arm, 2pm-4pm. Invasive Plant ID and Management Workshop. FREE
Weed Pulls and Restoration Events:
- May 12, 2016. Revelstoke. Revelstoke Reach Restoration Project
- May 25, 2016. Salmon Arm. SABNES Trail Nightshade weed pull
- May 29, 2016. Gardom Lake. Yellow Flag Iris weed pull
- June 2-3, 2016 Little White Lake, Yellow Flag Iris weed pull
To learn more and register e-mail: info@columbiashuswapinvasives.org
For all workshops and events, visit: http://columbiashuswapinvasives.org/get-involved/workshops-and-presentations/
