The Caring for Prairie focus group's mandate is to address the threat of invasive species on native prairie plants and ecosystems.  Although our action plan will soon be coming to an end, our activities have not slowed down.  Member organizations of the Caring for Prairie focus group have been very active this past summer with various invasive species related activities.  Here is a look at what a few of them have been up to.

Salt Cedar

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan (NPSS) has been very active with invasive species in recent years, with a number of ongoing projects.  They currently chair the Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council, a standalone, non-profit organization dedicated to communication and collaboration on invasive species.  The NPSS has also been monitoring salt cedar (Tamarix spp.) for a number of years and for the second year in a row has not found any re-emergence of this invasive shrub which was eradicated near Findlater ensuring the health of the surrounding prairie ecosystem.  Another ongoing invasive species project that the NPSS has championed is the eradication of flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) from a wetland near Watrous.  This location is the only known occurrence of flowering rush in the province, so we have been aggressively working to eradicate this invasive in order to protect Saskatchewan's wetlands.  We are also currently designing new weed fact sheets, a weed calendar for 2014 and have been conducting risk assessments on invasive species not yet in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture has also undertaken a number of invasive species projects. Their weed webinars have been well received and are ongoing if you wish to participate. They also sit on the Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council, and volunteered on the salt cedar monitoring and flowering rush eradication projects. In addition, the Ministry has also been working to control certain invasive species; most notably, they are monitoring and eradicating field scabious (Knautia arvensis) in some northern pastures.  The Ministry also hosted weed workshops in Davidson, Humboldt and Rosetown over the summer.

Until recently, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has had representation on the Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council, and holds an annual series of volunteer events to help maintain their extensive network of native prairie conservation easements. Weed management is an ongoing affair given the large acreage involved, the nature of invasive species and the short summer that we have to deal with them!

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) continues its excellent work in native prairie research, and will soon complete the Saskatchewan Ecosite Classification System for the province, which will be a very useful tool and may provide some insight into invasive species biology. The SRC also sits on the Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) has been involved in weed management initiatives across the province, and is currently involved in a new program called the Invasive Plant Control Program. This program, administered by SARM with funding provided by the Government of Canada's Growing Forward 2 program and the Government of Saskatchewan, has provided $800,000 for management of Prohibited Weeds under the Weed Control Act, including leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens), common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris).  Funding will be distributed through rural municipalities.

Regardless of the specifics laid out in the new PCAP 5 year framework and action plan, all of the organizations involved with Caring for Prairie will continue to address the threats of invasive species on our irreplaceable native prairie.

If you are interested in participating with the Caring for Prairie focus group, please contact Chet Neufeld at 306.668.3940 or [email protected].