Control of Invasive Plants on Crown Land in British Columbia

Management of invasive plants in British Columbia is a complex task involving a range of jurisdictions, legislation, policies, and guidelines. This report examines the current status of invasive plant management in BC, concentrating primarily on the role of range and forest tenure holders under the Forest and Range Practice Act (FRPA).

Invasive plants are species that are non-native to a respective ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health. Uncontrolled, these species can invade new environments and alter the structure and function of natural ecosystems. In 1995, an estimated 100,000 hectares of grassland and open forest were infested with a variety of invasive plant species, including knapweed, and at least another 10 million hectares of Crown land were susceptible to invasion.