City to launch attack on Japanese Knotweed over the weekend

The city has hired a professional
weed  expert to launch a treatment
plan in the community this weekend

While many on the North Coast will be taking advantage of the long weekend to get a little rest, some sun and a bit of recreation time, for others, the long weekend ahead will mark the start of a City sanctioned operation to rid City property of the invasive plant species known as Japanese knotweed.

In a notice posted to the City of Prince Rupert website on Friday, City Hall officials have advised the public that the City has hired trained professionals to treat the highly invasive weed in several areas throughout Prince Rupert.

Towards that work, the City is asking residents to avoid interrupting the work, in order to allow them to treat as much area as possible. The notice to the public provides some background on what Japanese Knotweed is, how it may have arrived in areas of the city and how it can be removed from property.

For the work scheduled for this weekend, the City notes that they are paying to have public lands sprayed and will also be conducting an inventory of incidences of knotweed on private property.

The City also advises that if residents are aware of Japanese knotweed on their property, or in their neighbourhood they should report it to 250-624-6795 or through an online reporting form available on the City of Prince Rupert website.

Those that have the required apps on their smart phones can also make use of the Report a Weed App on both Apple and Android phones.

You can learn more about this weekends spraying program from the media release available from the City of Prince Rupert website.

The issue of the Japanese knotweed was featured in the weekly paper earlier this week, as Transition Prince Rupert's Alora Griffin provided some details on the impact of the plant on the community.

As part of the story, Richard Pucci, the City's Engineering Coordinator noted that all public works employees have been trained on the topic of the Japanese knotweed.

The issue of expanding reports of the invasive plant seems to have become the focus of City Hall, without much mention of it as part of the City Council proceedings.

While an item of some concern for Transition Prince Rupert, recently raised through their Coastal Gardening series, Friday's announcement would seem to be the first official mention from City Hall of the problem, or the how the City has decided to address it.

Some more background information on Japanese Knotweed can be found here.

For more items related to the City of Prince Rupert see our archive page here.