|
On July 11, 2007, two buses pulled out of High River early in the morning. One picked up people in Claresholm, Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek, and the other picked up people at Nanton and Chain Lakes. It was a bright warm day when the buses met again on Highway 3 and headed west into the Crowsnest Pass.
The buses were packed with food, bottles of cold water, and over 75 people ready to hear about invasive alien plant species and why they are threatening our southwest Alberta environment. It was a beautiful drive through the pass. West of Fernie the buses pulled into a sideroad and stopped along what was called the Blueweed Trail.
 Kevin Paterson (standing by the bus) of the regional district of East Kootenay met the buses and gave a lecture on weeds in general and blueweed in particular while people ate lunch.
The adjacent field was covered with blueweed. (see below) It was a graphic example of what can happen when invasive exotics get out of control. The field was a test site for various control measures.
Blueweed (Echium vulgare) grows to 1 metre high. Its stems are covered in stiff hairs with swollen reddish to black bases. It invades rangelands, pastures, roadsides and idle areas particularly on coarse, sandy to gravelly soils, and produces 500 to 2,000 seeds per plant.
Andrew Stiles, here talking to Elizabeth, was one of our tour guides. The extent of the blueweed infestation is evident behind them.
Andrew's enthusiasm for his work is catching. He lives in Calgary and has won an Emerald Environmental Award for his work.
During the tour, Kevin Paterson was interviewed about weed problems and the tour by FarmTV. There were also stories in the print media about the tour. A reporter from the Lethbridge Herald, Stacey, was on the bus, learning about exotic invasives.
The buses stopped in several locations and everyone got out to walk in the fields and see and learn about various unpleasant weeds threatening that area of southwestern British Columbia. With the prevailing winds and human traffic these weeds are bound for southern Alberta. Participants exchanged horror stories, for example about some areas in Wyoming and Colorado where productivity has been reduced by up to 80%.
One lecture was particularly interesting. It covered work on using biological methods to control Leafy Spurge (above). The lecturer explained that with biological controls it doesn't kill all the target plants in an area (that would also ultimately kill the biological control), but keeps it under control.
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) is a noxious perennial with vertical and horizontal creeping roots. It grows to 0.8 metres tall. The leaves are arranged spirally on the stem and it has inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers inserted above 2 leaf-like yellow-green bracts. All parts of the plant contain a white milky latex that can irritate skin of livestock and humans.
It was a hot day with temperatures in the 30 degree Celsius range. Fortunately there was lots of water on the buses which were air conditioned.
Burdock, common tansy, dalmatian toadflax, oxeye daisy, the list goes on. It was a good day of education and awareness about weeds and the threat they pose.
The drive back through the Crowsnest Pass was long and hot. People were delighted to get out of the buses at Heritage Acres and stretch their legs. Here they were able to enjoy a terrific BBQ supper of beef, beans and salad, with dessert. Even supper was an opportunity for education: Alberta Agriculture had set up a display and game that people could play to win prizes.
After the BBQ, people got back on the buses and were delivered to their embarcation place. It was a long day, but the feedback from participants was positive.
Thanks to Kevin Paterson for coordinating the BC stops and lectures. Also, thanks to the organizers: Kelly Cooley, Ron McKay, Carla Bick and Larry Kopas. And thanks to Andrew Stiles for taking time out of his busy schedule. Special thanks to Environment Canada, Invasive Alien Species Partnership Program, for funding the tour.
Links to relevent other websites include:
Weed Act - Alberta
ASRD Weed List
AFRD Weed List and FAQ
Agricultural Fieldmen: Southern Region
Invasive Alien Species - Hinterland Who's Who
Environment Canada Invasive Alien Species Strategy
Team Leafy Spurge - USDA
|
