Salt Spring’s Native Plant Stewardship Group has just announced that Invasive Plant Drop-off Day has been reinstated for 2024, after earlier advising the public that its members were no longer able to manage the event.
With support from the Salt Spring Garden Club and Transition Salt Spring, the group has committed to one more date — Saturday, May 25 at the Community Gospel Chapel hall on Vesuvius Bay Road — with a possible second date of Sunday June 9. Support from both the public and local government agencies is needed for the June 9 date to proceed, the group said.
For the May 25 event, chippers, trucks and workers will be employed to handle and transport the product to local farms.
“Where we have previously asked for donations, we will now charge a modest fee based on volume, ranging from $5 to $150, from hatch back to dump truck,” the group said in a press release. “As before, we will accept broom, gorse, ivy, holly — the woody invasives that are so imperilling our forests and homes.”
The usual CUT BROOM IN BLOOM signs have been posted around the island, reminding people about the best time to tackle broom. With the plant at its most vulnerable in the pre-seed stage, its invasiveness is curtailed. The Native Plant Stewardship Group advises that broom should be cut at or just below the base of the plant.
Broombusters.org is a useful site for more inspiration and instruction. People can check out bcinvasives.ca as well.
For the safety of personnel and equipment, roots mixed with soil and potentially rocks, are not accepted.
Help is still needed to make the invasive plant drop-off day sustainble for the long term. For more information, suggestions or support, people can contact Deborah@transitionsaltspring.com.