Greetings!
We hope you've enjoyed a great summer! September's e-Bulletin is packed with news including important invasive species alerts, exciting job opportunities, updates on our programs and forthcoming events including
Youth Training in Surrey and the October webinar "
Impacts of Invasive Species on Indigenous Communities and Cultural Practices".
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Are you passionate about making a difference to BC's outdoors? Check out the newest employment opportunities with the Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC).
Invasive Species Outreach Coordinator - Williams Lake
Are you a young professional looking for a career in the resource sector or community outreach? Want to help ensure that the Cariboo has healthy grasslands, lakes and special places?
Check out more details here.
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Youth Volunteer Program Well Under Way
ISCBC is engaging youth in a recently launched volunteer program. Young adults aged 15-30 are invited to volunteer, participate in amazing training and learning opportunities and have some fun at the same time!
The program sees volunteers working with experienced facilitators in three regions - Greater Vancouver, Williams Lake and Kamloops. The volunteer network has creative freedom to develop and implement projects they are most passionate about, right within their own communities.
What could you do in your community? Ideas include:
- Adopt a local park, school yard or trail
- Restore and clean-up green spaces, beaches and waterways
- Create public relations and awareness campaigns, including social media videos
- Community engagement and event planning
- Help design and maintain a web portal for the network
If you know a young adult keen to build their resume, learn new skills and help their local environment, share this opportunity with them. Ongoing volunteer applications are being accepted online at
bcinvasives.ca/volunteer.
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Stop Western Yellowstriped Armyworm!
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ISCBC is calling on the public and producers in the North Okanagan to be on alert for the
Western Yellowstriped Armyworm
(
Spodoptera praefica
). The Western yellowstriped armyworm is an invasive caterpillar first detected in the North Okanagan Valley of BC in July 2018. The pesky caterpillar can be spread within infested hay, on produce, on farm equipment and vehicles. You can help stop the spread by following some simple steps.
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Be on the Alert for Asian Giant Hornets
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Three large insects found in the Nanaimo area have been confirmed as Asian giant hornets (
Vespa mandarinia
).
This is the first time the
Vespa mandarinia
species of the Asian giant hornet has been found on Vancouver Island and British Columbia.
Read the full news article
.
ISCBC is asking British Columbians who think they may have seen one to report findings via the
Report Invasives
mobile phone app or
to the Council at 1 888 933-3722
. If you've already downloaded the app, be sure to check for regular updates which are required when new species, including the Giant asian hornet, are added to the app.
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Sep 21: Take Action on Invasive Species
Youth Training in Surrey
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Join us for a day of training and hands-on experience, co-hosted by ISCBC, Seyem’ Qwantlen Construction / Matcon Civil Joint Venture & the City of Surrey Development Corporation. This FREE event -
with special emphasis on Indigenous youth
- will provide youth (ages 15 - 30) with training in invasive species identification and removal and in the restoration of a development site. Participants also benefit from
a letter of acknowledgement for resume building. Lunch and refreshments are provided free of charge and funds are available for transportation on request. This event will be filmed.
Read more and register today.
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Oct 9 Webinar: Impacts of Invasive Species on Indigenous Communities and Cultural Practices
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Join us on October 9 for the webinar "Impacts of Invasive Species on Indigenous Communities and Cultural Practices". Caitlyn Therrien Iannone, ISCBC's Indigenous Coordinator, will discuss the significant impacts invasive species can have on Indigenous communities, wild foods and on a range of cultural practices.
Learn more about this valuable webinar and register online.
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Did you hear? Invasives on CBC!
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ISCBC's Executive Director Gail Wallin joined CBC's Michelle Eliott on
BC Today
to talk about invasive species. Hot topics included how to control invasive plant species including Japanese knotweed.
Listen to the episode today!
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Submit your Together in Action Awards Nominations
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ISCBC's annual Together in Action (TIA) Awards recognize initiatives, groups, and individuals that demonstrate leadership, innovation and collaboration in the field of invasive species in BC. This year marks a Council milestone year and the full suite of five Together in Action Awards will be presented at a gala event on February 11 taking place during the INVASIVES 2020 Forum & AGM at the Pacific Gateway Hotel, Richmond, BC.
The five categories of awards are:
- Student
- Individual
- Business
- Government
- Non-profit / Stewardship Organization / Youth groups
Place your nominations for any or all of the award categories. Please
submit your nominations
by the deadline
November 15, 2019
.
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Waterfront Owners Can Keep BC Lakes and Waterways Healthy
Is your waterfront property host to some of the worst offenders?
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Yellow flag iris, Eurasian watermilfoil, large- and smallmouth bass, American bullfrogs. Sound familiar? These high-risk invasive species not only disrupt the natural processes and reduce biodiversity in waterways, but create a huge financial burden for waterfront property owners! Left unchecked, they can damage your house, reduce property values and affect health and safety. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada says that invasive species cost Canadians about $6 per person per year in direct costs, but the ‘invisible tax’ in lost revenue and other costs amounts to over $1,000 each year for every Canadian.
Waterfront residents who enjoy boating or paddling can help by following Clean Drain Dry procedures with their watercraft after leaving a body of water.
- Clean plants, animals and mud from your boat and gear
- Drain all water from your boat and gear onto land
- Dry all parts of your boat and gear completely
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New
Online Hub for
Indigenous Resources
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Invasive species can have negative impacts on our economy, health, and environment; and can have adverse impacts on important cultural practices, such as harvesting traditional foods and medicines and hunting. Through collaboration with the
Indigenous Invasive Species Network
, ISCBC aims to develop and provide culturally informed resources that are relevant and useful to Indigenous communities and anyone wanting more information.
Check out the updated Indigenous Resources hub at
bcinvasives.ca/indigenous
for links to upcoming events, webinars, educational and community resources!
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Spotlight on Agassiz Job Creation Partnership Team
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ISCBC's Job Creation Partnership (JCP) teams have had a busy summer season. This month, we hear from the JCP team in Agassiz on their highlights:
- Attended 9 community events this year, educating hundreds of people about invasive species.
- Partnered with the Fraser Valley Invasive Species Society in a Japanese knotweed survey for the City of Agassiz.
- Surveyed 15 Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure gravel pits to help prevent the spread of invasives along roads and highways.
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37,841 Japanese Beetle Video Views this Summer!
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This short video, produced by ISCBC, aims to increase awareness of Japanese beetle and how each of us can help stop the spread. This summer we promoted this video to folks living in the Vancouver area through Facebook and Instagram and generated over 37,000 video views. Do your part and share this video today!
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Have you signed up to join the Invasive Species Council of BC? If you're passionate about your local landscape, there's no better way to protect habitats and keep communities free from invasive species! Annual or five year memberships are available and a
s a member you will receive monthly e bulletins, free copies of ISCBC resources, discounts on training courses and special events including INVASIVES 2020 - ISCBC's 15th Annual Forum & AGM.
If you aren't sure if you are currently a member, reply to this email.
Join
as a youth, individual, business or organization today and
help ensure a future of healthy landscapes and communities free of invasive species.
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Join the Invasive Species Research Hub
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The Invasive Species Research Hub has been developed to foster connections, align research efforts and facilitate communication and collaboration within the invasive species community in the Pacific Northwest.
How does it work?
Membership is free and open to researchers and practitioners in the Pacific Northwest. As a registered member, you have the option of posting your profile, searching other member profiles and connecting online. We also host a Slack channel, where members can discuss chat and share ideas.
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Join us at INVASIVES 2020 - our 15th Annual Forum & AGM!
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2020 marks the 15th anniversary of the Invasive Species Council of BC and our 15th Annual Forum and AGM. Save the dates: February 11 - 13, and stay tuned over the coming weeks as we reveal our keynote speakers, agenda and exciting events new to the INVASIVES 2020 Forum.
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We have a fantastic team here at ISCBC. Over future newsletters, we will be meeting the faces behind the hardworking Council.
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Caitlyn Therrien Iannone - Indigenous Coordinator
Caitlyn is Syilx, Sto:lo, and French Canadian, influencing both her academic focus and career. Caitlyn has her Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Toronto and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of the Fraser Valley. She enjoys writing, gardening and travel.
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Danielle Toperczer - Director, Programs & Communications
Danielle is the lead on the Council’s programs and communications. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, majoring in Land Reclamation. Her work experience is diverse and includes a range of natural resource management projects including hydrology, fisheries, range management and not-for-profits. Danielle is a Professional Agrologist and lives in Vernon where loves skiing, biking and exploring the natural world around us.
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Thanks for your continued support!
Gail Wallin
Executive Director
Invasive Species Council of BC
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