Editor,
The Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council wants to sincerely thank everyone who participated in our region's very first community weed pull, which was held Sunday Oct. 18 in both Squamish and Pemberton.
Fortified by ample coffee donated by Starbucks, volunteers got quite a workout as they pulled stubborn knotweed. We are grateful to the Squamish District for picking up and disposing of the piles of plant debris in the appropriate manner, which is a very important part of ensuring invasive plants do not spread.
As well, we thank Terasen, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Transportation for financial support; and The Chief for publishing an article about the event last week.
Invasive plants are becoming so pervasive in our area that local ecosystems and wildlife are being threatened. Significant manpower and integrated planning are required in order to make headway. A second community weed pull will be held in the spring of 2010, and we'll be looking to get even more volunteers involved in dealing with this serious problem.
Jim Hunt
Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council
