Knotweed Cost Share Program Highlights, CKISS Staff and Board featured in partner media, 2021 Land Managers Meeting, Gardening Webinars and more!
WINTER 2021 Update: Knotweed Cost Share Program Highlights, CKISS Staff and Board featured in partner news, 2021 Land Managers Meeting, Gardening Webinars and more!
Knotweed Cost Share Program deemed a success in its inaugural year!
Knotweeds are among the 100 worst invasive species globally as listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
CKISS launched the “Knotweed Cost Share Program” in 2020. The goal was to support private landowners protect native habitat and keep their property safe by controlling knotweed.
We conducted extensive outreach and advertising for the program, resulting in 20 applications from interested landowners. Staff conducted surveys at 27 knotweed sites, completed 14 site visits to eligible application sites, and available funds were completely expended to support treatments at 10 sites.
The remaining sites are currently on a wait list in the hopes that the program will continue in 2021.
This program was made possible with support from the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF) and the Regional District of Central Kootenay Areas A, D and E.
We are holding our annual Land Mangers meeting on Thursday March 4 from 1:00-4:00 pm. The event will be held virtually this year.
The purpose of the meeting is to share work plans relating to invasive plant management for the coming season and any invasive plant issues of note from last year, and then review and update the Central Kootenay Invasive Plant Priority List with a focus on high priority species.
If you are a land manager in the Central Kootenays and are interested in attending but have not received an invitation, please get in touch with us. Send your request to our Field Program Manager, Kalenna Olynyk, at kolynyk@ckiss.ca.
Faces & Places features CKISS staff!
The Kootenay Conservation Program featured CKISS Executive Director, Erin Bates in the latest edition of their Faces and Places Series. To read the article click here. We highly recommend subscribing to their fabulous newsletter!
Gardening Webinars!
We may be in a DEEP FREEZE but spring will be here before we know it. If you are a gardener, or want to be, now is a great time to start planning by watching one of our Gardening Webinars on our the CKISS YOU TUBE channel.
Our friends at Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society have launched a podcast series called 'Voices of the Lake. Their latest episode is hosted by Norm Allard, Community Planner with Lower Kootenay Band. We were thrilled to have Norm join our Board as a Director this year and look forward to hearing him host this podcast.
The CKISS Strategic Plan 2020-2025 identifies a goal to adapt our planning to the impacts of a changing climate. The Columbia Basin Climate Source is a powerful tool that will help us achieve this goal. For anyone interested in climate change science and impacts relevant to the Columbia Basin and Boundary regions,
The site:
provides regionally-relevant and credible information to help users understand how the Columbia Basin and Boundary region’s climates are changing, what impact that could continue having on communities, how the region is taking action to respond, and how to use and interpret climate science; and
supports climate action in the region by providing fine-scale projections for over 40 climate variables in an easy to use format for residents, business owners, planners, local government and community representatives
Columbia Basin Climate Source is an initiative of Columbia Basin Trust, with development led by Selkirk College’s Applied Research and Innovation Centre.
Invasive Species Profile:
Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
Description
Stiff, 5-edged stems can grow 3m tall and 12m long.
Produce green, large, toothed leaves.
Leaves are arranged in groups of five on young plants, and groups of three on older plants.
Berries are black, shiny, and hairless.
Flowers are small and white or pinkish with five petals and are arranged in clusters.
Consequences of invasion
Competes with native shrubs by shading out the sun
Create dense thorny thickets that impede the movement of wildlife
Dense thickets can also negatively impact human recreational opportunities like bike trails.
Reduces visibility along road ways and takes over stream channels and banks and roadside ditches
How does it spread?
This plant has been spread in part by deliberate planting by humans for berry harvest
Root and stem fragments can start a new plant
Feces of animals that eat blackberries spreads seeds
Control Options
Prevention
Be PlantWise! and choose plants that are not invasive for your garden. Watch for plant parts clinging to your clothing and avoid having bare soil or disturbed ground on your property
Mechanical Treatment
Himalayan blackberry can be removed by hand pulling small, young plants, and digging older plants.
Digging must be very thorough as root fragments left in the soil will re-sprout.
Cutting thickets back may be required first to access the soil where roots are established.
Cutting alone is not as effective as digging, but could be effective if repeated over many years.
Note that birds may nest in blackberry thickets, if this is occurring on your property take care to conduct removal activities outside of their nesting period.
Keep up to date on invasive species news by following us on our NEW Instagram account. Our handle is ckiss_crew.
Subscribe to our You Tube Channel - CKISS - Learn about Invasive Species. Here you will find short clips on invasive species ID and management as well as access to all of our past webinars.
