Open Collections

Hao, Raymond; Sheline, Meg; Yu, Megan

With globalization and world travel becoming a commonplace in today’s society, invasive species have become an increasing problem worldwide. Unique ecosystems such as the temperate rainforests of British Columbia are under attack by these invaders, threatening to replace the native flora. Invasive plants are particularly concerning. As of 2014, 849 invasive plant species have become established in British Columbia, which account for 86.8% of all alien species recorded in BC. One hotspot is the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone located on the west coast of British Columbia, notably Metro Vancouver (Figure A). These invasive species have taken over and dominated native forests, prompting extensive restoration efforts in order to preserve the natural ecosystems. Starting in 2014, Metro Vancouver Regional Parks (MVRP) in partnership with Pacific Spirit Park Society (PSPS) restored five sites in Pacific Spirit Regional Park through their EcoBLITZ program through the removal of invasive plants and replacement with native plants in five sites with the goal of returning the site to its natural state (Figure B). Since 2018, PSPS has led teams of volunteers into the park to continually monitor the progress of their past restoration from 2018 - 2022. This monitoring includes taking note of the presence (or absence) of both common invasive plants and target native plants as well as tree health and general site characteristics.

Text

University of British Columbia. ENVR 400

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0396966

Science, Faculty of; Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of

Undergraduate

DSpace