Stoneridge Wetland Parrot Feather Eradication Program

October 12, 2017

An Exotic and Invasive Wetland Plant Species

Parrot feather was inadvertently introduced into the Stoneridge Wetland some 5 years ago. Since then it has flourished and become a dominant wetland plant, out-competing native wetland plants.  The original source of this plant introduction to the Stoneridge Wetland is not known. It is possible that it came from discarded aquarium water, a garden pond or as a contaminant in amongst nursery stock plants. Left unchecked, the plant has the potential to spread to other sensitive environmental areas in the region. Initial mechanical and manual efforts to remove and control the plant invasion in the Stoneridge Wetland during 2015 and 2016 were unsuccessful. 

The Town of View Royal embarked on a new experimental control and eradication program in the spring of 2017.  This effort has been designed to systematically kill the parrot feather using tarps to shade out the sunlight and “bake” the plants under the hot summer heat. Once the plants have been treated in this manner, the plan is to cover the tarps with soil and replant treated areas with grass seed and native marsh plant plugs. The grass seed will establish an immediate ground cover to inhibit parrot feather re-colonization while the wetland sedges become established.  Eventually the grasses will die out.  The outer sections of the wetland are being treated systematically in an attempt to eradicate new recruitment areas and isolate the parrot feather to the centre of the wetland. The centre area of the wetland will be treated last, once potential plant recruitment areas are successfully treated and contained. 

Successful eradication of parrot feather in the Stoneridge Wetland is an important priority to the Town of View Royal.  The intent of the parrot feather eradication program is to restore and maintain the ecological integrity of the Stoneridge Wetland, as well as eliminate a source of potential plant contamination to other sensitive aquatic habitats in the region.

Residents are asked to be on the lookout for possible contaminant sources of parrot feather and to report any findings to the Town.  For more information on parrot feather http://bcinvasives.ca/invasive-species/identify/invasive-plants/parrots-feather/