A pair of invasive plants on ‘hit list’ for region-wide strategy
NANAIMO — Strength in numbers is a strategy that appears to be paying off in tackling a pair of damaging invasive plants on mid-Vancouver Island.
The Coastal Invasive Species Committee (CISC) is into its third year of a regional program to fight back against various forms of knotweed, according to executive director Rachelle McElroy.
She said the program of local governments from Nanaimo to Qualicum Beach, including the regional district, paying for the cost of removing damaging knotweed plants and most recently giant hogweed, is taking off.
“We went from six knotweed plants to 84 knotweed sites in the Nanaimo area,” she said. “We also expanded the program to include giant hogweed in 2016.”