Island News & Views
General · 26th March 2008
D.Lacelle, VP, CVNS
Comox Valley Naturalists Society
Invasive Plants in Coastal British Columbia
The regular monthly meeting of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society will be held April 20, 2008, at 7:00 pm at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay. The featured speaker will be Mrs. W. Tyrrell, coordinator of the Coastal Invasive Plant Committee.
Invasive plants are a serious problem in BC. They often lack natural predators, and thus tend to “run wild”, crowd out native species, and become ecological and/or economic nuisances. Some, such as “Giant Hogweed” (as in the illustration) are toxic. Many of these invasive plants are escapes from home gardens.
If the CVNS had not been actively removing invasive plants from the Courtenay River Estuary, you would be looking at a field of purple loosestrife surrounded by broom and Himalayan blackberry. The CIPC is a non-profit society, which facilitates the effectiveness of invasive plant management in the Georgia Strait region by promoting collaboration and coordination amongst stakeholders and providing education and outreach.
Wendy Tyrrell is the Coordinator for the CIPC, she holds a B Sc in Ecology and has been working in the field of restoration and invasive plant management for more than five years. Wendy will be presenting on the topic of invasive plants in Coastal BC. Her presentation will encompass the status and impacts of invasive plants in coastal BC, activities of the CIPC, best methods for removal of invasive plants, and some gardening alternatives to the commonly available invasive plants. Please come and join us to become better informed about this problem, and how you can help.
There will also be a short presentation by Mr. David Stapley, "The Comox Valley Conservation Strategy”. Mr. Stapley is the Executive Director of the Comox Valley Land Trust. Between 1991 and 2002, 60% of sensitive ecosystems in the Comox Valley were either lost or fragmented. The proposed Conservation Strategy outlines critical ecological areas that need to be protected or restored for biodiversity and species protection.
Meetings of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Meetings are open to the public, including youth. A donation of $2.00 is suggested for non-members, and new memberships are always welcomed. Meetings are not held in December, July, and August. The CVNS May presentation will be: May 18 2008, Mr. Harold Macy, presenting: "The Four Storey Forest: As grows the forest, so too the heart"
Please come out and join us for these important environmental topics. For more information on CVNS please visit the website at www.comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca.
Invasive Plants in Coastal British Columbia
The regular monthly meeting of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society will be held April 20, 2008, at 7:00 pm at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay. The featured speaker will be Mrs. W. Tyrrell, coordinator of the Coastal Invasive Plant Committee.
Invasive plants are a serious problem in BC. They often lack natural predators, and thus tend to “run wild”, crowd out native species, and become ecological and/or economic nuisances. Some, such as “Giant Hogweed” (as in the illustration) are toxic. Many of these invasive plants are escapes from home gardens.
If the CVNS had not been actively removing invasive plants from the Courtenay River Estuary, you would be looking at a field of purple loosestrife surrounded by broom and Himalayan blackberry. The CIPC is a non-profit society, which facilitates the effectiveness of invasive plant management in the Georgia Strait region by promoting collaboration and coordination amongst stakeholders and providing education and outreach.
Wendy Tyrrell is the Coordinator for the CIPC, she holds a B Sc in Ecology and has been working in the field of restoration and invasive plant management for more than five years. Wendy will be presenting on the topic of invasive plants in Coastal BC. Her presentation will encompass the status and impacts of invasive plants in coastal BC, activities of the CIPC, best methods for removal of invasive plants, and some gardening alternatives to the commonly available invasive plants. Please come and join us to become better informed about this problem, and how you can help.
There will also be a short presentation by Mr. David Stapley, "The Comox Valley Conservation Strategy”. Mr. Stapley is the Executive Director of the Comox Valley Land Trust. Between 1991 and 2002, 60% of sensitive ecosystems in the Comox Valley were either lost or fragmented. The proposed Conservation Strategy outlines critical ecological areas that need to be protected or restored for biodiversity and species protection.
Meetings of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Meetings are open to the public, including youth. A donation of $2.00 is suggested for non-members, and new memberships are always welcomed. Meetings are not held in December, July, and August. The CVNS May presentation will be: May 18 2008, Mr. Harold Macy, presenting: "The Four Storey Forest: As grows the forest, so too the heart"
Please come out and join us for these important environmental topics. For more information on CVNS please visit the website at www.comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca.