Invasive Plant Information
Photo credit: Larry Reid
Monthly Invasive Plant Removal Events
We have removed ivy, laurel, blackberry, knotweed and other invasive plants from the riparian zones of Malcolm Creek in the past year. In November 2020 we started to work on the riparian areas of Robert Creek near the Lower Road bridge and in the spring of 2021 we added Chapman Creek to our list!
Roberts Creek Riparian Zone
SC Streamkeepers host an invasive plant removal event on the last Saturday of every month in Roberts Creek (FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH ONLY, WE WILL MEET ON THE LAST SUNDAY INSTEAD OF LAST SATURDAY – March 26, 2023). We will be planting native plants beside Lower Road bridge. Please check our events page for the exact location as we change the location depending on what work needs to be done.
Chapman Creek Riparian Zone
We meet on the 2nd Saturday of every month at Brookman Park (FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH ONLY, WE WILL MEET ON THE SECOND SUNDAY INSTEAD OF SECOND SATURDAY – March 12, 2023),TIME CHANGE: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm beside Chapman Creek to remove the ivy from the riparian zone or plant native plants. We will be planting native plants. If you would like to join us, please meet us in the parking lot on the north side of the Hwy 101 bridge as you come into Davis Bay.
We are fortunate that we have been awarded 3 grants from Pacific Salmon Foundation and a grant from SCRD to purchase native plants to rehabilitate the riparian areas where we removed invasive plants. We are grateful to Pacific Salmon Foundation and SCRD for there support as we work to restore salmon habitat!
Monthly Invasive Plant Removal Events
Here’s a quick overview of our upcoming events:
| Location | Details | Next Event | Facebook Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts Creek (meet at the estuary) | Last Saturday of every month. CHANGE DAY THIS MONTH | Sunday March 26, 20223 @ 11 am – 1 pm | |
| Chapman Creek (Brookman Park) | Second Saturday of every month CHANGE DAY THIS MONTH TIME CHANGE: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm | Sunday March 12, 2022 @ 1:00 am – 2:30 pm |
For more information, visit our Upcoming Events page.
If you have any questions, please send an email to scstreamkeepers@gmail.com
HUGE thank you to the Town of Sechelt Parks Dept for picking up our big piles of ivy and other invasive plants and taking it all to the Green Waste Depot! This really helps!
Sunshine Coast Streamkeeper Society Knotweed Removal Protocol
Please see article below for more information on the Henderson Beach (Roberts Creek, BC) project.
Although SCSS are not officially removing knotweed. The following is a recommended alternative to remove knotweed without chemicals. As our primary goal is to protect wild salmon and their habitat, we are totally against Round Up or any product that contains the herbicide glyphosate as the high possibility of it entering the water system on the Sunshine Coast.
Alternate Knotweed Removal Protocol
Equipment Needed:
Large plastic bag, either black or clear
Sharp clippers
- Cut each stalk of knotweed at ground. Try not to disturb the roots.
- Carefully put the cut stalk into plastic bag (making sure not to drop any piece.) Each stalk has many nodes that are very prolific and spread easily.
- It is helpful to put some kind of marker where each stalk was removed, we use a piece of coloured tape inserted by a nail into ground. This will help to identify the correct spot when returning.
- The cut stalk will start to grow again, it is important to continue to cut these small shoots every 2 weeks. Each time the sprouts are cut, make sure to add to a plastic bag.
- Put the plastic bag in a sunny place so that it dies and eventually dries out. At the end of season, it is important to burn the dried remains of these cut stalks. They should never be put in a public green waste collection site.
- The growing season of knotweed is May until October.
- It can take multiple years to totally eradicate the knotweed stand without harmful chemicals. Chemical spray can also take multiple applications and often does not totally eradicate the knotweed. The pilot project at Henderson Beach in Roberts Creek shows it can definitely be done without chemicals.
Killing knotweed without chemicals
Sunshine Coast Streamkeepers Society 