Any plans this summer?
Have you ever thought about volunteering for an environmental charity? We might have what you are looking for. Banish Burdock is the ideal volunteer program for people who:
- love being outside surrounded by plants and soil
- don’t mind getting their hands dirty
- want to protect Whistler’s native habitats
- are willing to share some of their time this summer
- love being part of a community, we host monthly meet-ups for the team
Read on to find out why this project is so important. Read to the end for the ultimate hack from Banish Burdock legend Leslie Anthony.
Burdock is a ‘prickly’ issue.
Common Burdock is a major issue along Whistler’s trails.
Common Burdock spreads like wildfire, and prevents native habitats from flourishing. Common Burdock propagates by seed and can produce 6,000-16,000 seeds per plant in the form of burs. This helps Burdock establish a vast seed bank in the soil, making it a tough plant to eradicate. That’s why we need all hands on deck to give Burdock the boot in Whistler!
Are you free this summer? We could really use your help to protect Whistler’s native habitats.
As a Banish Burdock volunteer, you can choose a patch of public land (on or off the Valley Trail) to protect. It will be your responsibility to look after your patch and all the Common Burdock present during the course of the summer. Don’t worry, no previous experience is required! We’ll teach you everything you need to know and we’re always around if you have any questions or queries.
Help us make Banish Burdock 2024 the biggest yet by adopting your trail section this May!
Burdock expert shares some tips
Thanks for sticking around to the end of the post. As a little reward here’s a top tip from board member and Banish Burdock legend Leslie Anthony.
The most efficient and effective way to minimize the spread of Common Burdock is to remove the spiky burs. These burs contain thousands of seeds and each plant can carry about eighty burs. To remove the burs simply run your hand up the stems, the burs will come off easily and shall bunch together like Velcro.
The earlier you start the better! Early spring is the easiest time to remove burs because the burs are easy to spot and easy to access. During winter months, most plants are killed off or squashed to the ground. However, most Common Burdock stems stay standing. Use this to your advantage by heading out to Banish Burdock in early spring.
Help us make Banish Burdock 2024 the biggest yet by adopting your trail section this May!
@ssinvasives Banish Burdock season has begun! Common Burdock is a nasty invasive plant found throughout Whistler. It’s big leaves prevent native habitat growth. We asked Leslie Anthony (Banish Burdock hero) about the best way to reduce the spread of invasive Burdock. His answer: remove the seed burs! Now is a fantastic time to start. Most plants haven’t grown up yet, so you can easily spot the woody, brown stalks, and round hooked burs of Burdock. If you’re in Whistler and want to lend a hand, why not start with Bayly Park, in Cheakamus Crossing? There’s a big patch just next to the soccer field. Word of caution: the burs can be irritating to the skin, so we recommend that you wear some gloves! #VideoDescription: A man in a cap and hiking clothes stands in a field on a sunny day. He presents how to remove burs from a stalk of Burdock, and then place them in a bin. #CommonBurdock #BanishBurdock #InvasivePlants #ProtectWhatYouLove #NativeHabitats #volunteerlife❤️ ♬ original sound Sea to Sky Invasives
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