The Columbia Shuswap Regional District is looking to expand its environmental services role.
Hamish Kassa, Environmental Services co-ordinator, received unanimous support from regional district directors to hire a consultant to review and expand the mandate of the regional district’s noxious weed control program.
Kassa explained that CSRD established the program in January 1993 to help reduce the negative impacts of noxious weeds on the agriculture industry.
In recent years the program has expanded to include public information, bio-control releases, community weed pulls, and a sprayer loan-out program.
Using zebra mussels plaguing Idaho and Washington lakes as an example, Kassa advised it’s time for CSRD to review its perspective.
“Across the province, they’re starting to look at other species,” he told directors at the May 17 board meeting, which was held in Sicamous. “This kind of assessment is held in high regard at the provincial and federal level and we’re trying to bring it down to the regional level.”
Kassa said problems of noxious and invasive species – both plant and animal – are now being regarded through much of the province in a collaborative group approach.
“We’re asking for a consultant to assess our region to determine what are the problems and who are the potential partners,” he said. “There has been support from other groups including BC Hydro, who are particularly interested in setting up a committee.”
And that committee would be an expanded one due to the vastness of the regional district’s territory.
Kassa told directors the cost of hiring a consultant would be in the neighbourhood of $5,000 and that the Invasive Species Council of BC has offered to assist with the development of terms of reference to engage the consultant.
Regional District CAO Charles Hamilton gave his support to Kassa’s proposal, which would see each partner bringing dollars to the table.
“We have no longterm funding, only sporadic funding that comes in now and then,” he said. “If we are going to continue a long-range participation in this, we have to look at other partners.”
Sitting in for Sicamous Mayor Darrel Trouton, Greg Kyllo said he was supportive of the proposal, particularly since its role would be expanded to include things like zebra mussels that could have a negative impact on area lakes.