Powell River Regional District will be altering its invasive species treatment plan to meet more urgent requirements.
At the Thursday, July 16 committee of the whole meeting, Sandy McCormick, Electoral Area D director, referred directors to an item of correspondence from Tom Read, an island resident. Based on the letter, McCormick recommended a change in focus of the Texada Island treatment plan from tansy ragwort to Japanese knotweed.
Read explained in his letter the reason why there is no need to go after tansy ragwort is because it is already being done manually. Read added that islanders want to protect the island’s beekeeping enterprises and livestock, and because they do not want herbicides sprayed along roadsides.
“Such spraying would be contrary to the spirit, if not the exact letter, of Texada’s official community plan,” he wrote.
“Tansy ragwort can have a negative impact on honey production and large livestock, but its effects are manageable. In contrast, Japanese knotweed is well known to cause major damage to homes and property. The BC Board of Realtors has issued a bulletin warning realtors and homeowners of this threat.”
In his opinion, Read added, if the regional district does nothing to stop this super-invasive plant, then it is only a matter of a few years before it damages waterfront homes along Sanderson Road.
“That’s a huge liability for taxpayers, who would then probably be sued and have to pay for removal of the Japanese knotweed and its damage to these rather expensive private properties adjacent to the trail,” he added.
Al Radke, the regional district’s chief administrative officer, requesting clarification for a recommendation about invasive species to the regional board, asked if the only intended change was from tansy ragwort to Japanese knotweed, with the geographical references remaining the same. McCormick said that was the case.
The second part of the motion pertained to broom control at Paradise Valley Exhibition Park. Alan Rebane, Electoral Area B acting director, suggested altering the original recommendation encompassing Paradise Valley Exhibition Park to include the entire regional district. He said it is believed broom control is not needed in the park this year so the money could potentially be allocated elsewhere. Patrick Brabazon, Electoral Area A director, suggested the motion be left the way it was written and the committee agreed.
When it came to the regional board meeting, Thursday, July 23, directors carried the invasive species recommendation from the committee of the whole. The board voted to support bio-control measures at the south end of Texada, and targeted herbicide control measures at the north side of Texada Island, by the Coastal Invasive Species Committee, for the control of Japanese knotweed; and that the board advise the Coastal Invasive Species Committee that monies for scotch broom control at the Paradise Valley Exhibition Park be carried over to next year.
