Rocky View County, as a member of the Calgary and Area Intergovernmental Weed Committee, accepted the Industrial Vegetation Management Stewardship Award, March 20.
Dow AgroSciences presented the award, which has been given out annually since 2010, in recognition of the Committeeís development and implementation of a regional early detection rapid response (EDRR) system, one of the first in the province.
ìWe were really humbled,î said Tim Dietzler, Rocky Viewís Agricultural Fieldman and co-chair of the group.
ìWe learn from each other, we try to do things regionally. We can see we are accomplishing something and really making a difference and being good neighbours.î
The Calgary and Area Intergovernmental Weed Committee is a partnership that includes representatives of the Government of Alberta, as well as the cities of Airdrie and Calgary, the Towns of Cochrane, Okotoks and Canmore and the municipal districts of Foothills, Rocky View, Bighorn and Wheatland.
The Committeeís purpose is to develop a regional approach to halting the spread of invasive plant species.
The Committeeís work involves public awareness, risk mitigation of invasive plant sales and the development and implementation of a regional EDRR system that allows all partners to share information about detection and location of new invasive weed species in the region. The information allows for effective and rapid management of the species, cutting down on long-term costs.
According to Dietzler, the committee targets 15 species of weeds including garlic mustard, big-headed knapweed, nodding thistle, Himalayan Balsam and pale yellow iris, in an effort to prevent them from becoming a problem in the region.
ìWe chose these 15 because we anticipate that there are very few out there and we want to get them before they start (to become a problem),î said Dietzler.
ìThey have strong environmental impacts if they are allowed to go away, they may be in association with water and we want to catch them before they spread.î
It does so through EDRR, which involves each municipality being on the lookout for infestations, reporting them to a central location and making regional maps of the locales of the plants.
Weed watchers are also invited to join the Weed Committeeís ranks and include representatives from the Weaselhead and Alberta Conservation Association, said Dietzler.
ìThis is a really positive collaborative approach,î said Dietzler.
ìWe are happy to be part of the Committee.î
For more information on invasive plants, visit www.invasiveplants.ab.ca
