Numerous clusters of Scotch Broom are visible at Linley Point Gyro Park where an invasive plants collection event takes place Saturday, May 2 from 10 am to 2 p.m. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

pesky plants

Invasive plants under attack at pair of collection events in Nanaimo

May 2, 2020 | 6:38 AM

NANAIMO — People hoping to properly get rid of damaging invasive plants free of charge are in luck.

The City of Nanaimo is marking Invasive Plant Awareness Month in the province by hosting a pair of drop-off events. The first one happens Saturday, May 2 at Linley Point Gyro Park on Linley Valley Dr. from 10 am to 2 p.m.

City of Nanaimo recreation coordinator Deb Beck said English Ivy is a particular focus this month, noting the sprawling plants are suffocating ecosystems throughout Nanaimo.

“In particular Bowen Park and Colliery Dam Park, those parks in that part of the city. It is all along the ground and up through the trees.”

Beck said motorists are asked to remain in their vehicles at the park off the top of Rutherford hill as volunteers remove their bagged invasive plants in a socially distant manner.

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The same parameters apply at a second invasive plants collection scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at Bowen Park near the upper picnic shelter from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Beck said several invasive plants are problematic throughout Nanaimo, such as scotch broom, daphne and himalayan blackberry.

“They tend to creep into our parks and our green spaces and start to out-compete our native plants for nutrition, light, water and soil. They will take over.”

Beck credited numerous volunteer organizations for fighting back against invasive plants locally, such as Adopt-A-Park, City of Nanaimo Park Ambassadors and BroomBusters, among others.

“We can’t get rid of it in all of Nanaimo, we have been targeting those parkland pieces and trying to get rid of what we can. It does come back, it’s something we will always be fighting.”

Invasive plants can be dropped off at the Regional Landfill or accepted by several private collectors for proper disposal. Beck said invasive plants should never be tossed in your green bin.

More information on invasive plants in Nanaimo and how to address them can be found here.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes