Rocky Mountain Naturalists are concerned about invasive species.  The Nature Trust, East Kootenay Invasive Species Council, The Rocky Mountain Naturalists and Ducks Unlimited did a loosestrife weed pull at the south end of Bummers Flats (Doran's Marsh) on July 20th, 2016 at Bummer's Flats.  An awesome team came together with boats and lots of weed pulling fortitude. Thanks Max, Candice, Marianne, Frank and Greg!

Editor's note: Oopsy, I think we missed posting this last year.  Enjoy! (Dianne C.)

The BCFO held their 25th anniversary AGM here in Cranbrook at the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort and those that attending are calling it "top notch" and the Rocky Mountain Naturalists had a hand in helping to make it so. We arranged the birding field trips for the two consecutive mornings, Ruth Goodwin led the Wycliffe Rambler, Daryl Caulder Elizabeth Lake, Alan Barnard Ha Ha Creek Valley, Dean Nicholson the Spray Irrigation, Three Ponds and Dianne Cooper led them to the Skookumchuck  Prairie  IBA.  

Over 80 delegates attended, there was a technical session about the BC Breeding Bird Atlas, the Annual General Meeting, a banquet with keynote speaker, Jared Hobs, who delivered an informative and passionate presentation about the plight of both Western Screech-Owls, and Spotted Owls in BC.

Mike McGrenere has assumed the role of BCFO President. Marian Porter and Monica Nugent are the new additions to the board. Congratulations to all that attended and helped the RMNats make this a special weekend for everyone! 

Eva Basaraba was the recipient of the Rocky Mountain Naturalists - Mildred White scholarship ($500). Presented by David Walls and George Rogers (Rocky Mountain Naturalists), the award recognizes Eva's completion of one year of University Studies - Arts at the College and her contributions to volunteer service in her community.

A new invasive weed is threatening the East Kootenays.  Field scabious (Knautia arvensis) is a perennial plant that competes with forage and pasture land, and is also found along roadsides at mid-elevations of the province. Once established, is very difficult to eradicate. Field scabious is considered regionally noxious under the BC Weed Control Act, and is found in the Bulkley-Nechako, Kootenay-Boundary, and Thompson-Nicola regions.

For more information you can visit:  http://bcinvasives.ca/invasive-species/identify/invasive-species/invasive-plants/field-scabious/
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​I received a note from a friend. "Thought your club might be interested in this damage to the Cooper Lake trail.  These quads are totally out of control with their pushing trails to alpine lakes..."

"The Cooper Lake Trail was formally established in 1997 with the management objective of providing non-motorized recreation opportunities, such as hiking and mountain biking, in a forested subalpine setting...  since the lake 1990s the trail has experienced indiscriminate and increasing motorized use from off-road vehicles (ORVs)"

"A wide variety of efforts have been made to prevent the escalated use of motorized use of the trail, including physical barriers, signage, surveillance cameras compliance and enforcement paroles and violation tickets."

Members of the public can assist by reporting witnessed infractions to the Natural Resource Violations Tip Line or calling the toll-free hotline at updated: 1 877-952-7277 (out-dated: 1-844-676-8477) - Ministry of Forestry, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations

As southern B.C. labours under an ongoing drought, many kinds of tough, hardy plants are thriving. Fields of invasive weeds are in full bloom in many vacant industrial lots around Cranbrook, and the short window of opportunity for fighting them is just about past.

Frank Hastings, who has been working for a contractor hired by the City of Cranbrook and private businesses to eradicate weeds in targeted areas, recently conducted a tour for the botanically minded, to see land where the weeds have been allowed to thrive and others where they have been cleaned out.

Earlier that day, Hastings and two others spent two hours pulling weeds out along a 100-metre stretch of Mission Road. Eleven giant garbage bags of weeds were the result, which were taken to the dump later. “Eleven garbage bags in two hours by three guys,” Hastings said. “I challenge city crews to beat that!”

Many weed species are in full flower and going to seed: a who’s who of invasive flora, some species which has been growing in the area for decades, some only recently arrived.

And of all these unwelcome aliens, these colonizing visitors, knapweed is the king. 

Hastings explains that knapweed can suck water deep out of the ground with its taproot, so it can prosper in drought conditions. Each knapweed plant can produce 40,000 seeds per plant — “So with that number of seeds, it’s success rate doesn’t have to be very high.”

Knapweed also puts a chemical into the ground — catechin — which inhibits the germination of the seeds of other species. Knapweed is almost a super-species — a super-invasive species.

“Because it’s Eurasian in origin,” Hastings said, “It’s not considered food by wildlife or livestock.” He added that some local ranchers have been training their cattle to eat knapweed, introducing it into their diet so they get a taste for it.”

Right now, the best main window for controlling the invasives is past. By and large all the species are in flower, and whether humans like them or not, the bees love them. So herbicides can no longer be used without causing harm to bee populations.

Hastings says that the best combat is still the most labour intensive — pulling the weeds out by hand.

Mowing is another option, especially early on, which prevents the weeds from flowering and going to seed, and also starves the roots. Judicious application of herbicide during the two-month window of June and July is also effective. But pulling remains the best option.

The vacant property between Elizabeth Lake and the highway, where the water slides used to be, is a vast field of knapweed and other invasives including dalmation toadflax, curled dock, common tansy, burdock and mullein (which weed contractors generally leave alone, as its seeds provide food for birds). There are also tall clusters of sweet clover, which is not considered invasive and is generally left alone.

Hastings said because of the proximity of Elizabeth Lake and Jim Smith Creek, spraying is less of an option — no herbicide can be put down with 15 metres of a body of water. The best recourse, he says, is to have teams of weed pullers hit the field and pull up the weeds by hand. 

In this regard, Hastings said, a recent idea of the City of Cranbrook to train teams of summer students to pull weeds is a good idea. “What I’d start doing is mowing and bagging the flower stalks, then pulling and bagging stems and roots.”

Driving along Cobham Road to the industrial section of Cranbrook, Hastings points out how clean and weed-free the roadsides are. High traffic industrial areas are City priorities for weed eradication, and businesses like Fiorentino Contracting and Tundra Steel make the effort to clean weeds out of their properties.

But out along Industrial Road G on the way out of town is the field where the stock car race track used to be — another expanse of knapweed — both spotted knapweed (purple flowers) and diffuse knapweed (white flowers),  along with species like blueweed, sow thistle and goats beard, proliferate. Hastings shows a plant with short stems and yellow flowers — yellow gum weed. “It’s not listed as invasive yet,” he says, “but it’s been coming in fast.”

The big empty city-owned lot by Save-On Foods is mostly clean, except for the area used to dump snow in winter. A lot of the city’s gravel trucks used for hauling away snow will be carrying weed seeds from the summer, and that area is covered with tall, thick-stemmed weeds, baby’s breath and hedge bind weed. Hastings shows another relative newcomer — yellow tar weed. “It’s native to the Pacific Northwest, but it’s been making its way here.”

The big industrial lots covered with invasive weeds are one thing, but Hastings is interested in more awareness of the issue among residents. “Most people wouldn’t know an invasive weed if it hit them,” he said. 

Property owners could contribute by learing to identify different invasive species and how to eradicate them.

Article first published in the Cranbrook "Townsman", July 30, 2015

As many know Art is no longer able to keep up with the Turtle Nesting Habitats that the Rocky Mountain Naturalists created many years ago (to prevent turtle mortality crossing Highway 3/95).  As a result of last years flooding the main portion has been completely devastated.  Greg has been working to remove the reeds that have washed up onto the nesting areas and making access channels through the reeds.  The habitat fence is also in poor shape and needs repair and weeds are slowly encroaching.  The Nature Trust summer crew have been a great help in placing more sand and cleaning the site.

The water levels are at the lowest I have ever seen as no stop blocks have been added to the weir this year.  Everyone is likely nervous after the flooding last year.  Also it was noticed that someone has driven right up the the weir area causing a real mess.  Perhaps a barrier could be placed here?

The entrance covers were taken of of the duck boxes the first week of April and looking forward to seeing how many will get used.  There was an old one without a cover and when checking it a female Common Goldeneye came flying out.

Looking forward to the Annual Turtle Day event coming up on May 12th again being hosted by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program.

Due to the flooding last year over the turtle nesting area there is a lot of work to be done to remove the reed beds that are up on the nesting area and restore some of the sand.

Linda, Susan, Tara, Virginia, George, Paula, Marianne, Greg
A new Executive was elected at our AGM in January 2015. President - George Rogers, Vice President - Virginia Rasch, Treasurer - Linda Hastings and Secretary - Marianne Nahm.

Other non-elected representatives are Susan Walp - Newsletter, 
Outings Coordinator - Paula Rogers, 
Elizabeth Lake Coordinator and Presentations Director - Tara Szkorupa 
and BC Nature Director - Greg Ross