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People who spend their time removing invasive plants from their local green space say it’s worthwhile because it helps to mitigate the effects.
“At night, you can physically see the impact you have made.” Joshua Ralph, 23, a volunteer with the Invasive Species council of B.C. said that even after you leave a site, you can see the metre-by metre removals being done.
Over the weekend he joined a small group of volunteers at Jericho Beach to help chop down, dig up and remove Himalayan blackberries that are ubiquitous across many sites in Metro Vancouver and the province.
This team is one of many working to eradicate invasive plants in B.C. Invasive species action month was declared by the province in May.
Himalayan blackberry is just one example of a species that has been introduced to B.C. and begun out-competing native species, resulting in a loss of biodiversity and ecological health.
Scorpions, Northern snakehead fish, Japanese beetles Asian hornetsAlong with plants like Blessed milk thistle, giant and knotweed, are just some other species found in B.C. They can destroy habitats and make landscapes less resistant to climate change.
Landscapes can be more vulnerable to climate change by losing biodiversity. An ecosystem can stop functioning properly if one species or plant is dominant in an area.
‘Major threat’
For the past eight years, the province has encouraged British Columbians during Invasive Species Action Month to be vigilant in checking for and reporting invasive species in their back yards or when exploring the outdoors.
“Invasive species pose a significant threat to our natural ecosystems, and infrastructure.” A joint release from the ministries of forests and land, water and resource stewardship said on Friday.
“We rely upon resilient land and water habitats that are free from invasive species for food, livelihoods and cultural purposes.”
While government action is necessary to monitor certain species such as Japanese beetles, zebra mussels and zebra mussels for their presence, the Invasive Species Council of B.C. said small acts by members of the public can also make a visible difference.
Jennie McCaffrey, the council’s director of learning and education, said participating in something like habitat restoration is empowering for many people who are anxious about the climate crisis.
“I think [the climate crisis]McCaffrey stated that although it can be overwhelming, people continue to return to this important work because they can see the impact and the difference.
“When they restore an area back to a more natural habitat, they are actually seeing native species returning to that area, and that’s incredibly strong.”
This is what Trav Martin, a 29-year-old man, found attractive. He was also volunteering to pick blackberries at Jericho Beach on Sunday.
He studied biology at the University of the Fraser Valley, then studied natural resources in Newfoundland. After that, he worked at the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island helping with invasive grasses.
He stated, “I feel like a person can make as much of a difference as I can.”
Martin wants to make a career out of dealing with invasive species, especially in terms of educating the public about the issue.
“A lot of [people]He said that he didn’t know the exact location of invasive species in his area.
The Invasive Species Council of B.C. According to the Invasive Species council of British Columbia, awareness of the threat of invasive species is increasing and the council is grateful for $8 million of funding from the province as part its economic recovery plan.
The money will be used to train and hire more than 200 people in fieldwork, such as habitat restoration and removals.