Awarded to the East Kootenay Invasive Species Council to collaborate with stakeholders to decrease infestation levels, manage new and known sites of Leafy Spurge, and prevent new introductions in the upper Columbia Valley.
PROPONENT: East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC)
DESCRIPTION: Originally introduced to the Columbia Valley in the 1960s, the invasive plant leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) has become well-established in the area and makes up the vast majority of leafy spurge infestations in the Regional District of East Kootenay. The negative impacts of leafy spurge are substantial, and it is considered one of the most aggressive invasive plants in British Columbia. Leafy spurge readily displaces desirable vegetation in rangeland, pastures, and native habitats. The Strategic Invasive Plant Control of Leafy Spurge (SIPCOLS) project delivers significant ecological and economic benefits to the upper Columbia Valley through completing inventory and management actions on leafy spurge infestations.
OBJECTIVE: The project focuses on managing existing infestations and mitigating the risk of their spread into high-value adjacent lands, while also recognizing the importance of protecting traditional practices and ecosystems valued by First Nations communities. Specific objectives are to: 1) Conduct a thorough inventory of all known and newly identified leafy spurge sites in the project area; 2) Create a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder invasive plant management plan targeting leafy spurge in the Columbia Valley, prioritizing areas of high habitat value and those posing significant threats to adjacent land managers, including Wildlife Management Areas, conservation lands, agricultural lands, and First Nations; 3) Implement treatments for high-priority infestations within 1 km of private land; including infestations on Crown land near the Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area and those adjacent to Shuswap Band lands, and ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation to support on-reserve treatments; 4) Evaluate the feasibility of establishing 4-7 vegetation monitoring plots and/or photo monitoring plots at strategic locations to show how invasive plant treatments are impacting targeted weed species and desirable native species over time; and 5) Raise awareness of the importance of leafy spurge control among stakeholders and community members in the Columbia Valley.
PHOTOS: Juliet Craig, EKISC
This video from 2023 provides an excellent overview of the SIPCOLS project.
