There’s an invasion afoot in Alberta. The foreign hordes have established a beachhead, spoiled the land and don’t take prisoners. But luckily, Blake Weis is here to spread the word about the invaders.
Weis is presenting “Illegal Aliens in the World of Plants” at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park Aug. 1. A graduate of Lakeland College with an environmental science diploma majoring in conservation and restoration ecology, Weis has worked at the park since 2012 educating people on the problem plants’ impacts.
“When you’re dealing with invasive plants, it’s all about making the right decisions and choosing your actions based on the best outcomes for the environment.”
Weis said the worst species could outcompete native plants completely and establish a ‘monoculture’, in which the invaders are the only species left. The newly formed monoculture renders the area useless as a habitat and grazing by livestock, which could have far reaching impacts, he said.
“It’s not just an environmental issue. It’s a pretty big economic issue as well.”
The presentation aims to explore different topics around invasive plant species, such as identifying the plants, how they become invasive and what impacts they have on native ecosystems.
Weis will discuss invasive plant species in the park and the Calgary region, as well as control methods to combat the invaders.
Creeping or ‘Canada’ thistle and hound’s tongue are two of the invasive species that currently threaten the park.
Canada thistle is believed to have originated from the eastern Mediterranean region of Europe and was one of the first weeds brought to North America by colonists. Hound’s tongue is thought to have come from Eurasia through cereal seeds.
The thistle causes serious crop yield losses, while hound’s tongue contains large quantities of toxin that can poison livestock if eaten.
The presentation ends with a walking tour of the park to see the plants in the field.
To register for the program, visit the park’s website at grpf.ca/events and finding the event on the calendar. Please call 403-851-9053 or email [email protected] and leave your full name, address, phone number, email and program name, date and time, to registered if you experience difficulty registering online.
