You, your friends, family, and coworkers can become a “Spotter” and be on the alert for invasive plants and other species, since the bigger the team identifying and reporting invasives, the better! Join or organize your own Spotters’ Network Workshop to get started!
What are Spotters’ Network Workshops?
Spotters Network Workshops are FREE 1-1.5 hour sessions designed to enable community groups or organizations to learn about local invasive plants including identification, management, and reporting. Workshop materials and resources are publicly available and apply to all communities across BC. Workshops can be tailored to focus on regionally important invasive plants.
These FREE workshop packages include a “How To” guidebook and Powerpoint presentation, including speaking notes. Five workshops are available:
Numerous organizations have used these workshops, including horticulturalists/landscaping companies, provincial ministries, Selkirk College, volunteer associations, Regional Committees, Vancouver Aquarium, environmental consultants, and several individuals.
Spotters’ Network Workshops aim to increase the number of informed "Spotters" who are on the alert for new and spreading invasive plants by creating a province-wide network and searchable database. Once you have identified an "unwanted" invasive plant, you can easily report your findings by calling the ISC at 1-888-WEEDSBC, contacting your Regional Committee, and/or entering your data into the Ministry of Forests, Mines, and Lands Invasive Alien Plant Program (IAPP) database.
Proceed to the next step to find out all you need to know to participate in or host a Spotters Network Workshop.
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| Training participants learn to recognize invasive plants in Williams Lake. Photo: C. Koot |
Background
Spotters Network Workshops were developed as part of the two-year (2009-2010) Eyes Across BC program. The Eyes Across BC, province-wide program encourages community-based environmental stewardship while increasing awareness and understanding of invasive plants.
Thank you to the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Agriculture Environment and Wildlife Fund for initiating the development of the Spotters Network Workshops. Thank you to Vancouver Foundation for sponsoring the 2011 Spotter's Network program.
“Our crew has finished their work at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site and Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. I want to thank you, on behalf of Parks Canada, for providing the crew to us. They were well-trained and got a lot of important restoration work done in our nationally-important heritage areas.”
Brian Reader, Species at Risk Manager, Parks Canada
“I am impressed with the coverage of the GIS mapping data now available. I will be developing an Invasive Species Management Plan for Pacific Spirit over the next several years and these maps will help as a coarse indication of current conditions, and in guiding initial inventory and monitoring efforts.”
Markus Merkens, Pacific Spirit Park area manager, Metro Vancouver
“Thank you for orchestrating access to the Hot Spots crew for GINPR. This crew allowed us to move the restoration project on Princess Margaret ahead by months if not by years.”
Wayne Bourque, Superintendent of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, Parks Canada
“Working with the Hot Spots crew in Saanich in 2010, we practiced different methods to treat knotweed with glyphosate using the injection gun on several sites. With these skills I was able to implement Saanich's first knotweed eradication pesticide treatment program for private properties.”
Donna Wong, Environmental Stewardship Officer, District of Saanich
“Parks Canada and Canadians have benefited from the partnership to have on-the-ground Hot Spots crews, and we would be happy to work with a crew in the future at one of our many national parks and national historic sites that are in need of invasive plant management.”
Brian Reader, Species at Risk Manager, Parks Canada
"We had a great hike at Kenna Cartwright Park. The kids built a snowman and we all enjoyed the views. The outreach worker showed us some plants that don't belong in the park, gave us info about them and what to do about them, and gave us all some cool gifts from the Invasive Plant Council. Thank you!"
Susan Hammond, Kamloops Young Naturalist Club
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