East Kootenay Invasive Species Council - EKISC

05/31/2026

In case you missed it, Brittany, our Education and Outreach Manager, hosted a fantastic Ed Talk at the Cranbrook History Centre on April 29 all about PlantWise and invasive-free spring gardening! From learning about native plants and eco-smart gardening practices to discussing ways we can all help protect local ecosystems, it was an inspiring evening filled with great conversations, curious minds, and plenty of plant enthusiasm.

One of the highlights of the evening was making seed packs alongside such encouraging and passionate folks - it was wonderful to connect with community members who care so deeply about creating healthy, wildlife-friendly gardens in the East Kootenay.

Missed the event? Good news! The presentation was recorded!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=LuGXjpll8-yldVo0&v=uqBHho8NZBA&feature=youtu.be
And if you’d like to get your hands on one of the seed packs Brittany made, send us an email at [email protected].

The Cranbrook History Centre's "Ed Talks" series presents "Being Pl...

05/30/2026

What better way to spend BC Trails Day than out on one of the East Kootenay’s most scenic trails?

Join us on next Saturday, June 6 from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Cranbrook trailhead of the Northstar Rails-to-Trails for a day of movement, community, and stewardship as part of both BC Trails Day and the ParticipACTION Community Challenge!

BC Trails Day celebrates the incredible trail networks across British Columbia while encouraging responsible recreation, volunteering, environmental stewardship, and connection to the outdoors and we can’t think of a better fit for Play Clean Go!

We’ll be set up with our outreach booth sharing invasive species information, Play Clean Go tips, fun kids activities, and FREE boot brushes to help stop the spread of invasive species on our trails and outdoor spaces. We may even host a community w**d pull along the trail if conditions allow!

Come out for a walk, run, cycle, skateboard, trishaw ride, or simply soak in the mountain views along this beautiful 26km trail connecting Cranbrook and Kimberley.

📍 Cranbrook trailhead of the Northstar Rails-to-Trails
(Turn off Hwy 95A at Duthie’s Propane on Collinson Rd)

Let’s celebrate our trails while helping protect the places we love to explore

05/29/2026

Week 4 of National Invasive Species Action Month = ACTION

A huge thank you for following along with us this May! We’ve talked about protecting where we play, invasive insects, invasives hiding in garden centres, iNatuarlist and now… it’s time to get involved.

What better way to take action than joining an EKISC event? Come learn, lend a hand, and help stop invasives together.

05/28/2026

05/22/2026

Sorry if we’ve been a little slow replying to emails lately… we’ve had our hands full with summer staff training for the last two weeks! 😅

From learning how to set up our outreach booth, to making TikToks, to self-rescuing a canoe, changing truck tires, and brushing up on safety protocols - it’s been a whirlwind start to the season.

But all of that can only mean one thing… summer has officially begun at EKISC! Please join us in welcoming our 2026 summer team: Maja and Kyle, our new Education and Outreach Assistants and Jasmine and Ivy, our Invasive Species Field Technicians!

You’ll spot them everywhere this summer - on the trails, in the backcountry, at farmers markets, community events, and around town helping spread the word about invasive species prevention and stewardship.

If you see them out and about, be sure to say hi!

05/22/2026

Fernie friends! Come get your hands dirty with us today!

Join EKISC for a community w**d pull at one of our favourite local spots - the Fernie Brewing Company 😉 Learn how to identify invasive species, why they matter, and how you can help protect the places we love. No experience needed - we’ve got gloves, tools, snacks, and everything you need!

10:00 AM – Welcome + Invasives 101
10:20 AM – Community W**d Pull Begins
12:15 PM – Wrap Up + Clean Up
12:30 PM – Head to the brewery for a celebratory flight!

Come for the w**ds, stay for the stewardship (and beer). See you there, Fernie!

05/21/2026

It's time for our annual w**d pull at the Cranbrook Community Forest!
Mark your calendars - we need YOU June 13.

Stay tuned for more details - coming soon!

05/18/2026

The earlier invasive species are detected, the easier they are to manage and that’s where you come in.

Plant ID books are great and all… but we’ve got a modern favourite tool we use daily too! iNaturalist.org !

We use it constantly! In the field, in the office, and during training. Our field crew uses it to double-check plant IDs, our outreach team brings it into workshops, and we also use to help confirm invasive species sightings and track what’s showing up across the East Kootenay.

We’re also pretty active on there! From monthly blog posts to monitoring projects like Priority Invasive Plants of the East Kootenays, iNaturalist helps us stay connected to what’s happening on the landscape in real time.

So - what you can do this week:

🌿 Download iNaturalist and start exploring what’s around you
🌿 Learn to identify common invasive species
🌿 Learn to recognize signs and impacts of invasives
🌿 Report sightings and help stop new invasions early
🌿 Keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t quite belong

Turn curiosity into action! You might be surprised what you find. Give us a follow on iNaturalist and join us in spotting invasives before they spread | https://www.inaturalist.org/people/eastkootenayinvasivespeciescouncil

05/13/2026

05/11/2026

Surely garden centres wouldn’t sell invasive species… right? 👀

The surprising answer is yes - around 30 commonly sold garden plants in BC are known to be invasive or have invasive tendencies. Many of these were originally brought in because they’re attractive, fast-growing, or easy to care for but without natural predators here, some of them can spread quickly and cause serious harm to our native ecosystems.

Species like Bachelor's button, Butterfly bush, Common periwinkle, English ivy, Mountain bluet and many more are still on the shelves... And invasive plants don’t just stay in the garden. They can escape into natural areas, outcompete native species, and impact biodiversity, recreation, and even local economies.

That’s where the Grow Me Instead guide comes in! This resource highlights some of the most problematic horticultural invasive plants in BC and offers beautiful, non-invasive alternatives - including native and well-behaved exotic species you can feel good about planting instead. Whether you’re refreshing your garden, starting a landscaping project, or removing invasives from your property, it’s a great place to start.

We have these resources available throughout the East Kootenay and if you’d like a copy, just email us at [email protected] or check this linkhttps://bcinvasives.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PlantWise-GMI-Brochure-2021-WEB.pdf for the PDF version!

Grow smart. Grow local. Grow Me Instead.