THUNDER BAY – A loose coalition of local organizations is inviting Thunder Bay residents to join volunteer efforts to root out an invasive species they say threatens local ecosystems.
An event Wednesday evening will see volunteers remove Himalayan Balsam, or Impatiens Glandulifera, from the green space surrounding the former Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital (LPH).
Groups including Friends of the LPH Greenspace, Urban Greenscapes, and StandUp4CleanUp helped to organize the event, and hope to also raise awareness for residents to check their own yards and nearby areas for the invasive species.
They say the plant can crowd out native vegetation and cause other ecological problems.
“It spreads aggressively, colonizes areas with a monoculture, destabilizes river and stream banks, leads to soil erosion and increased sediment entering our waterways, damages fish habitat, and interferes with the ability of our riparian zones to offer ecological services,” event organizers state.
Volunteers will meet at the LPH by the Chamberlain Street entrance parking area at 5:30 p.m. and work in the area until around 8 p.m.
Event organizers suggest participants bring closed-toed shoes, water, and gloves. More information is available online.
Len Maki, with the Friends of the LPH Greenspace group, said the last few years have seen Himalayan Balsam spread worryingly at the popular walking area.
“I noticed it probably about two or three years ago where it was definitely coming up along the trail edge and in backyards – my own backyard, even,” he said. “There are pockets where it’s really starting to spread.”
Himalayan Balsam can grow up to six feet high, produces pinkish-purplish flowers, with a round, hollow stem, and a produces a noticeable musty odour.
“I know people like the plant – the bees love it, and that’s actually one of the other concerns, that bees will tend to go to that plant, and not go to other native plants,” Maki said.
Native to India, the plant was initially brought to North America as a decorative plant.
It thrives in places with moist, nutrient-rich soil, often along riverbanks and in low-lying areas.
The City of Thunder Bay recently added Himalayan Balsam to its list of prohibited plant species under its revamped yards bylaw, meaning residents are forbidden from planting it on their properties.
Werner Schwar, supervisor of parks and open space planning with the city, said the rule recognizes that invasive species in one yard can quickly spread to other properties and natural areas.
The city has previously done work of its own to pull invasive species from areas like parks and trails, he said.
With shallow roots, Himalayan is fairly easy to pull out, Maki said.
“What we’ll be doing, and what people need to do in their own yards, is to pull it and try to prevent the flower pod exploding and the seeds scattering, put it in a dark plastic bag, seal the bag up tightly, and leave it for about two weeks.”
