Spartina Wars

Posted 
on May 13, 2014
 
Spartina is an invasive, aquatic grass that rapidly converts tidal mudflats areas (like Boundary Bay) into elevated spartina meadows. This increases the risk of flooding and results in loss of migratory bird, fish and shellfish habitat.
 

Our speaker on May 13th was Bob Night of the BC Spartina Working Group (BCSWG). He gave an update on work to eradicate spartina in Boundary Bay.

Spartina angelica was introduced in Puget Sound in 1961 for dyke and shoreline stabilization, oyster packing material and cattle fodder but quickly spread outside its intended usage area. In Washington State, there has been extensive conversion of native habitat to a monoculture of Spartina resulting in millions of dollars spent on control.

Spartina angelica was first discovered in Boundary Bay and Roberts Bank in 2003 during intertidal marsh surveys conducted for the Vancouver Port Authority. In 2004, a multi-agency partnership was formed to develop a Spartina removal plan and promote public awareness of the problem. The “Early Detection, Rapid Response” technique was employed by the B.C. Spartina Working Group to control the spread. Volunteers began to manually dig up plants and clip seed heads and an excavator was used to remove large clones and bury them. Members of the Rotary Club of Ladner donated many hundreds of hours of volunteer time pulling and documenting spartina. This effort was led by the late Don Burkett.

Bob Night report the application of herbicide Imazapyr on large clumps of spartina has been successful. Clean up will be required for another two to three years.

He invited the Rotary Club of Ladner to appoint a representative to the working group to maintain contact.

Map of Spartina locations in Mud Bay

 

 
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