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Identification, Control and Removal of
Invasive Species
on your property
Invasive Plants Brochure (PDF
1.0 MB)
Noxious Weeds & Alien Alert Fact Sheets
Invasive species are organisms that aggressively expand their range, often at the expense of existing native biological diversity. Generally, they do not originate from the area in which they are found, so have no natural controls such as predators, parasites or diseases to keep them in check. The District of Saanich is trying to control invasive plant species because they tend to displace native plants and habitat.
The main invasive plant species that are of concern in Saanich are:
- English Ivy
- Scotch broom
- Holly
- Gorse
- Daphne
Other introduced plants such as carpet burweed, English hawthorn, grasses, St. Johns wort and periwinkle have also become problematic in natural areas.
Invasive species have devastated many natural areas in Saanich and in the Capital Regional District. It can seem like a daunting task to try to control them but with dedicated volunteers, these plants can be stopped from gaining further ground in specific locations.
The Garry Oak Restoration Program (GORP) is an initiative in Saanich that actively restores Garry oak ecosystems. GORP spends much of its resources removing invasive plants, such as broom. There are also many community groups, devoted to protecting natural areas in their neighbourhood that spend countless hours cutting Himalayan blackberries or pulling Daphne, broom and English Ivy.
You can help by not planting invasive species on your property and removing them if they are already there. You can volunteer to help clear invasive species with local community groups or with GORP.
Important Links:
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