A group of enthusiasts armed with loppers is working diligently to reduce the prevalence of Scotch broom from the local landscape.
Under the guidance of City of Powell River fire chief Terry Peters, broombuster volunteers are actively cutting the colourful yellow plants while they are in bloom, which is the best time to chop down the invasive species.
There have already been several cuts organized, with the first of the year on the embankment adjacent to the old barge terminal in Westview. According to Peters, two truckloads of broom were collected. The second cut was in Wildwood at Sunset Park. Peters said there was a great turnout and they “absolutely decimated” all the broom plants at the park.
The next cut was at the junction of Highway 101 and Malaspina Road, followed by a broom in bloom event with Powell River Therapeutic Riding Association taking part in cleaning up its Paradise Valley site. Lang Bay at Dixon Road will be another cut, right across from Lang Bay Store.
“Broombusters is a passion for me,” said Peters. “It was a program that I accidentally became involved with.
“They had an invasive species council in Powell River and when I was deputy fire chief I got put onto that. I started getting educated on invasives, which are messing up our planet. Broom was something they talked about.”
Peters said he had been cutting broom in his neighbourhood because children have allergies, which is why he started, but then someone brought up the fact that broom is made up of flammable content, which sparked his interest as a firefighter. Peters said he did some research and found out, not surprisingly, that it is like throwing kindling on the edge of the forest.
With a little further digging he found the website broombusters.org and organizer Joanne Sales, who was ecstatic that he was a firefighter. He said Scotch broom started in Sooke with a few plants in the 1800s and has spread all over the coast, wiping out land.
“It takes over,” said Peters. “It is enemy number one in BC, displacing biodiversity. There’s no denying that this stuff is not good.”
Peters said the local broombusters initiative has attracted a strong following of volunteers.
“They’re my favourite kind of people,” added Peters. “They show up to do a good thing, be part of the community and make a difference.
“When we first started eight years ago, Dennis Scherger showed up and it was just him, and now it has gone to the point where dozens of people are showing up. There’s broom cutters all over the place.”
Peters said cutting broom is a monumental task but a huge difference has been made throughout the qathet region. He said, for example, on the Manson Avenue extension above the Penticton trails, broombusters went in and cut down two dump truck loads of broom.
This year, there was a fraction of the broom that had grown back and it was cut down. City of Powell River has been very supportive in removing the cut bushes he added.
Peters said the best time to cut broom is when it is in bloom.
“The best mortality of the plant is to cut when it is blooming,” he added. “Will we get rid of it completely? Mostly likely not, however, if you make it manageable, it will be good. It’s making a difference.”
For those interested in broombusters, there is a Facebook page called Broombusters in qathet/City of Powell River, where activities of the volunteers are highlighted.
