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Equipment loan program supports landowners to control invasive plants

There’s no charge to take invasive plants to the landfill in the Boundary
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Spray equipment, one of several pieces of equipment available for loan. (Boundary Invasive Species Society photo)

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary works to support landowners to control their invasive plants. To that end, there is no charge to take invasive plants to the landfill in the Boundary.

You need to double bag them to prevent the spread. You need to tell the attendant that you have invasive plants. It goes in with the household garbage. Compost doesn’t get hot enough to kill the seeds and roots.

There is a loan-out program. The equipment available is a three-point hitch tractor mount sprayer, a skid mount sprayer for use in a pickup box, a sprayer that can be mounted on an ATV, backpack sprayers and a grass seeder that can mount onto an ATV. The RDKB does not provide herbicide or seed. You do get manuals on the operation of the equipment and information on safe herbicide application.

You need to pay a deposit to borrow the equipment. Your deposit will be returned so long as the equipment is returned on time, is not damaged and has been cleaned. Contact Rick at 250-442-5798 or herbdout@gmail.com to borrow the equipment.

If you live in the West Boundary arrangements can be made to transport the equipment from Grand Forks. Contact the Boundary Invasive Species Society to make arrangements for delivery. If you have questions on what herbicide to use or which grass seed mix would be the best contact the Boundary Invasive Species Society for a recommendation.

The RDKB has two programs for invasive plant control. They are both available in Electoral Areas D and E. The programs are for private land. The maximum area eligible for treatment under the programs is five acres per parcel. The maximum amount of work that can be done for the RDKB portion is $500. Both require that you hire an approved contractor to do the work. Both programs cover only specific invasive plants.

The Cost Share Program is a 50 per cent cost share. You pay the full amount and then send in a claim form to get 50 per cent back. There is also a New Invaders Program that covers 100 per cent of the cost of treatment. In general, requests for these two programs are considered in the order that they are received. Any requests received after the maximum budget for the program is reached, will be deferred until the following year.

For more information on these programs, contact the Boundary Invasive Species Society at 250-446-2232 or info@boundaryinvasives.com. The home page of the society’s website has links to the RDKB programs at www.boundaryinvasives.com. You can also contact the RDKB General Manager of Environmental Services at 1-800-355-7352.