Invasive Species Resources for BC

Regional Invasive Species Organizations

The SSISC is one of 13 independent Regional Invasive Species Organizations (RISOs) working to stop the spread of invasive species throughout BC. We work closely and collaboratively with the other RISOs, sharing knowledge and expertise regarding on-the-ground invasive species management, working together on consistent messaging for education & outreach programs, and collaborating on program ideas, professional development and funding applications. A full list of BC RISOs can be found if you scroll to the bottom of this page.

BC Inter-Ministry Invasive Species Working Group

The BC Inter-Ministry Invasive Species Working Group (IMISWG) consists of representatives from provincial government ministries that have responsibility for invasive species management, including Ministries of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development; Agriculture; Environment; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Energy and Mines. The IMISWG:

• brings together provincial ministries and agencies, each with unique mandates, program goals and technical expertise;
• provides policy direction, coordination and collaborative delivery of provincial invasive species programs for the Province of BC;
• collaborates extensively with stakeholders including First Nations, the ISCBC, local and federal governments, regional invasive species organisations, and neighbouring jurisdictions in the US and Canada;
• oversees the development and enhancement of biological control of invasive plants for BC;
• develops information bases and decision support tools for invasive species management that incorporate both economic and environmental parameters;
• oversees the Early Detection and Rapid Response Plan for BC (see below); and efforts to prevent the arrival and establishment of high risk aquatic invasive species.

The Invasive Species Strategy for BC

The Invasive Species Strategy for BC is a strategic framework for improved invasive species management in British Columbia. It offers a foundation for invasive species work across BC and provides key recommendations and actions needed to achieve effective invasive species management. The Invasive Species Council of BC is the secretariat of the Strategy, and the ISCBC incorporated input from stakeholders across BC, including the SSISC, to update the Strategy for 2018-2022.

Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) is a proactive approach to managing new invasive species to BC that prevents establishment and subsequent impacts through targeted species risk assessment, verification, containment and eradication.  BC EDRR activities are guided by the BC Invasive Species EDRR Plan, which provides detailed direction on the decisions and actions required to address new incursions anywhere in BC.

Provincial Priority Species Profiles – The BC IMISWG has evaluated candidate species for EDRR to determine likelihood of occurrence, establishment, spread and assessed which pose the greatest threat to BC’s environment, economy and human health. The resulting province-wide list represents the top threats to BC from all categories of species – plants, animals, insects and other.

BC’s Invasive Mussel Defence Program

BC Invasive Mussel Defence Program – refer to this page for information about:

• BC Watercraft Inspection Program
• Zebra & Quagga Mussel EDRR Plan for BC
• Lake Monitoring for the presence of invasive Zebra and Quagga mussel larvae (SSISC has been participating in this program in 2017)
• Legislation, resources, reports and more

Pest Management Plans (PMPs)

Pest Management Plans (PMP) outline an Integrated Pest Management approach for the control of invasive plants on provincial public land, and include prevention strategies, manual/mechanical treatment methods, biological and cultural control methods, and chemical control methods. There are 4 plans for BC, covering Southern Interior, Central & Northern BC, South Coastal, and South Coastal Mainland (the region that SSISC lies within).

IAPP (Invasive Alien Plant Program) is a BC-wide spatial, relational database that contains invasive plant site and survey data, treatment and monitoring data for the province of BC. The data in IAPP is entered by a wide variety of user groups including SSISC, on an on-going basis.

The SSISC maintains a more detailed internal geodatabase for both plant and animal survey, treatment and monitoring data. Site-scale invasive plant survey and treatment data from SSISC’s internal database is uploaded annually to IAPP, and available to the public via BC iMap, and as a downloadable shapefile through DataBC.

The Biocontrol Development staff of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ Invasive Plant Program provide new biocontrol agents to invasive plant managers in British Columbia by enabling research into potential new biocontrol agents and developing received agents into management tools. Read more about the program here.

Metro Vancouver – Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver (ISCMV)

The ISCMV covers all lands within the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
Ph: 604-880-8358 | www.iscmv.ca | Email: info@iscmv.ca

Central and West Kootenay – Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society (CKISS)

CKISS covers the Central Kootenay Regional District and areas A & B of the Kootenay Boundary Regional District from the Paulson Summit East.
Ph: 1-844-352-1160 | www.ckiss.ca | Email: info@ckiss.ca