WHEREAS Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant which is spread by both cutting and digging and is therefore proliferating at an alarming rate on public roadways; AND WHEREAS Japanese Knotweed causes erosion, damages infrastructure and compromises motorist and cyclist visibility; AND WHEREAS local governments lack the jurisdiction and resources to manage invasive species on Crown land and provincial road right-of-ways: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM work with the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to recognize the emergency nature of this invasive plant and adequately plan for and resource its removal from provincial roadways.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations Invasive knotweeds are currently the Ministry of Forest, Land and Natural Resource Operations highest priority with respect to invasive plant management. We provided 76,000 in 2013 and 89,500 in 2014 to the Coastal Invasive Species Committee for the treatment of invasive plants, with the majority of funding directed towards the management of knotweed. Furthermore, the Ministry implemented an effective signage program in 2011 to indicate where knotweed and other invasive plants are present in order to prevent accidental mowing or disturbance of the site by maintenance contractors before treatments can be completed. The Inter-Ministry Invasive Species Working Group, which includes representation from the Ministries of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Environment BC Parks, recognizes the significant threat posed by Japanese knotweed and has identified knotweed as one of the highest-priority invasive plant species for control efforts on Crown land. Provincial agencies work collaboratively with regional invasive plant committees, the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia, the Inter-Ministry Invasive Species Working Group and individual regional districts and municipalities to address invasive plant issues in specific geographic areas throughout the province. In addition, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure recognizes the threat of invasive knotweed species and has allotted the majority of available funding over the past several years towards chemical treatment of knotweed along highways and in gravel pits.