Many of us enjoy the experiences we gain by travelling outside of where we live, whether it’s around BC or outside of Canada to more exotic locations. But what we do and buy, even when we’re away from home, can have an impact on our community. Imported goods are a common pathway for invasive species to be introduced, where they take advantage of favourable conditions to thrive and out-compete native species.
We encourage people travelling to take as many of the following steps as possible:
1. Learn to recognize the plants you see in your travels. If you’re travelling in BC and are unsure about a creature or plant you don’t recognize you can:
- Take a photo and e-mail us at info@bcinvasives.ca
- Call us at 1-888-933-3722 and we can link you with your local Invasive Species Committee
- Use the provincial government’s Report-A-Weed service to report a suspected new sighting of an invasive plant species in BC.
2. Be informed:
- Check our Invasive Species list to ensure the plants you’re bringing into BC are not listed as invasive for the province or your local area before you buy them or bring them home.
3. Prevention:
- Buy locally produced goods or BC grown plants when you have the option, as invasive species often travel along with imported goods.
- Ensure you declare all food and plant materials when you return to Canada – fruits and vegetables, plants, insects and animals can carry pests or become invasive themselves.
4. Take Action! Enhance our efforts by becoming an ISCBC member, joining your Regional Committee or making a donation to ISCBC.
5. Resources: Take advantage of the wealth of information such as brochures, TIPS sheets, posters and other materials available in our Resources section. If we don’t have the information you need, try one of our partner organizations.
Thank you for being mindful of how invasive species might enter BC when you travel.