By Tyler Marr

Invasive species a growing problem in province, region

Sep 3, 2017 | 3:44 PM

They can be beautiful plants and come with entertaining names, however, their impact on the environment is not as friendly.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) recently released a list of the country’s top 10 invasive plants, seven of which call Saskatchewan home in growing numbers.

“They have a big impact on biodiversity,” Cameron Wood with the NCC said.

The list was complied and released in an effort to educate the public in the hopes people will up the anti in fighting the plants.

Around Prince Albert, purple loosestrife, buckthorn, common tansy, Canadian thistle and many others not on the list like scentless chamomile are commonly found. These plants tend to make their way into the province from products brought in from over seas, while others are sold at greenhouses. They can escape from gardens or end up in the compost and begin to spread rapidly in the wild.

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“Once invasive species get out of hand, you start to see them take over from the native species,” Wood said. 

The plants not only affect native species, but Wood said species like common tansy produce chemical toxins and can take a toll on livestock and insects. Alien plants are the second-most common threat to species extinction and can hinder the biodiversity of a region. They also carry a heavy economic burden. Lost productivity, control efforts and environmental costs ring up a bill anywhere between $16 to $34 billion each year.

“As we continue to spread our development and have an impact on the land, those invasive species are one of the first things that go in after the fact,” Wood explained. “As we keep developing we are creating a vector for spread much faster.”

And the looming effects of climate change are not helping the matter. As the environment in the North gets dryer and weather patterns change — prolonged droughts, large precipitation events — Wood said native species may take longer to adjust and “in that interim period, there is a good likelihood of invasive species catching in there.”

“Some of those species may not be a big problem now, but in 20 or 30 years down the road, it could be a different story,” he added.

The City Prince Albert is already trying to get one invasive species in check. At a recent council meeting, Himalayan blossom was cited as spreading swiftly through city water ways.

The plant is a commonly purchased ornamental as it has vibrant pink flowers. It was originally brought over from Europe, and as its able to spread efficiently as it natural predators do not exist in Canada.

“It has seeds that can spread up to seven metres. It can propel those things into the air and spread quite rapidly,” Wood said. “It is a growing concern in the province. In the last couple of years, it has been popping up in more areas.”

The city has plans to eradicate the plant and write a letter to the provincial government asking it be termed as an obnoxious weed to restrict its sale in Saskatchewan.

There are various ways residents can assist in mitigating the spread of invasive plants. Once recognized, Wood said people can tackle the problem by attempting to cut down or manually remove them before they become established. If people spot invasive species in greenhouses, they can also report it. However, once some are established, chemical control may be the only way to remove the plant.

“Not everything out there is necessarily good,” Wood said. “Everybody has a different role to play but the first is being aware.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr