The City of Richmond is getting $15,000 from the province to help with invasive plant removal projects.
The provincial government is giving out a total of $2.89 million in funding to 33 organizations to control and eradicate invasive plants.
During last fall's city budget deliberations, Coun. Michael Wolfe asked that about $500,000 be added to this year's budget to fight invasive blackberry brambles.
Wolfe said he’s been advocating for this program while on city council for the past six years, as well as before that.
“You can take me to any block, any street, any park, and I will find blackberry, I will find English ivy choking trees, I will find knotweed that’s been sprayed and treated many times and it’s still there,” Wolfe told city council at the budget deliberation meeting.
What’s needed is city staff to fight these invasives, he added.
Wolfe said he has noticed blackberry brambles continue to overtake Richmond Nature Park.
“It floors me after working there 20 years ago, the blackberry is expanding into areas where it’s never been before,” Wolfe said. “It’s going to be a giant wasted park when it becomes all blackberry decades from now. But that’s where it’s going.”
In the end, the majority of city council didn’t approve adding the invasive species management program.
Many councillors, however, noted the need to control invasive blackberries, and the item was referred to the parks and recreation committee.
While the $500,000 budget item wasn’t approved for this year, a city spokesperson noted the city does continually work on removing invasive plants.
Invasive plants can disrupt ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, and pose a threat to agriculture and tourism industries.
Certain plants are even a health risk to people and animals.
Some of the targeted invasive plant species in B.C. include Japanese, Bohemian and Giant knotweed, marsh plume thistle, common tansy, wild chervil, garlic mustard, poison hemlock, spotted knapweed, common bugloss, orange and yellow (non-native) hawkweeds, giant hogweed, blueweed, tansy ragwort, Spartina species, hoary alyssum, purple loosestrife, field scabious, leafy spurge, yellow flag iris and Scotch broom.
People can report invasive plant sightings using the Report Invasives BC app or online.
-with files from Maria Rantanen
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