Reference: April 10, Karen Goodings, Chair Northeast Invasive Plant Committee Peace River Regional District

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1 From: Minister, ENV ENV:EX Sent: April 10, :15 PM To: prrd dc Cc: Minister, FLNR FLNR:EX Subject: Goodings - Invasive Plant Program Reference: April 10, 2012 Karen Goodings, Chair Northeast Invasive Plant Committee Peace River Regional District prrd.dc@prrd.bc.ca Dear Ms. Goodings: Thank you for your letter of February 3, 2012, regarding the Peace River Regional District s Invasive Plant Program in northeast British Columbia. I apologize for the delay in responding. I appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts with me. I recognize that parks and protected areas can be a factor in the spread of invasive plants. I have asked BC Parks staff to develop an invasive plants strategy. The Ministry of Environment continues to work closely with our colleagues across the natural resource sector to ensure that efficiencies are realized across all provincial Crown lands. I have shared a copy of your enquiry with the Honourable Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, for his consideration. Thank you again for writing. Sincerely, Terry Lake Minister of Environment cc: Honourable Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

2 PEACE RIVER REGIONAL DISTRICT Office of: the Chair, Northeast Invasive Plant Committee February 3, 2012 The Honourable Terry Lake Minister of Environment P.O. Box 9047, Stn Prov Govt Victoria, BC V8W 9E2 Dear Mr. Lake: This letter is being sent as a formal request for your ministries partnership and a monetary contribution towards the Peace River Regional District s Invasive Plant Program in northeastern BC. This program is operated by the Environmental Services Department of the Regional District, governed through an internal committee called the Northeast Invasive Plant Committee, and legislated by the Weed Control Act of BC. In 2011, the Regional District employed a full-time Manager of Invasive Plants to monitor and manage the program. The Regional District offers expertise regarding management of invasive plants, as well as finance and administrative support of the pooled resource delivery model. We have attached a report of the accomplishments in 2011 to give you an idea of what our mandate is. The Peace River Regional District is the largest regional district in BC, at 120,000 square kilometers, and as an organization we are committed to managing the crippling effects of invasive plants on the economy, recreation and health and well-being of our ecosystems. It is well recognized that industrial activities on the land are proven vectors in the spread of invasive plants. A coordinated and collaborative effort is seen as the only effective way to manage invasive species. The Regional District believes that even a modest financial contribution to our pooled resource model will decrease your direct costs of managing invasive plants on the lands within your jurisdiction. There are over 40 Parks, Protected Areas and Ecological Reserves within the area covered by the Regional District. Parks are assigned a high risk factor when considering the spread of invasive plants. The hawkweed complex is of utmost concern for us in the north as the economic losses to our agriculture sector would be staggering, we have very few infestations and would like to partner with you in order to continue the work on the hawkweed infestations in the Monkman, Pine, Lemoray and Wapiti Provincial Parks. A wide variety of stakeholders, which include Provincial government ministries, agriculture producers, utilities, aboriginal groups and special interest stakeholders, have joined us in the pooled resource model focused on three Invasive Plant Management Areas (IPMA). PLEASE REPLY TO: BOX 810, DAWSON CREEK, BC VIG 4H8 TELEPHONE: 250) OR (800) FAX: (250) prrd.dc@prrd.bc.ca th Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4N4 Telephone: (250) Fax: (250) prrd.fsj@prrd.bc.ca

3 February 3, 2012 Page 2 The IPMA model results in efficiencies in managing invasive plants with a focus on prevention to reduce introduction and establishment of invasive plants into the northeast corner of BC. The IPMA model employs a single contractor to manage invasive plants according to our comprehensive IPMA management plan regardless of jurisdiction. Strategic priorities of the IPMA include: To integrate public awareness, Provide trained treatment contractor Conduct outreach to our stakeholders, the general public and students Provide advisory services Coordinate planning, reporting, inventory and treatment and efficacy monitoring Continuous improvement of the IPMA program and the NEIPC Plan and Profile Serve as central agency for reporting occurrences of invasive plants The plan includes inventory work and strategic treatments based on the NEIPC Plan Profile available here: control/index.php We would be very happy to answer any questions that you have about the NEIPC pooled delivery model, invasive plants or how you can make a contribution to our program. Please contact the Manager of Invasive Plants, Elaine Armagost at or Elaine.Armaqostcprrd.bc.ca for more information. Yours truly, Karen Goodings Chair, Northeast Invasive Plant Committee Enclosure: 2011 report

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