Alberta Invasive Species Council launches Wildflowers Not Weeds campaign

Invasive species cost Albertans more than $2 billion every year. A new public awareness campaign wants to change that, starting in the garden.

The Alberta Invasive Species Council launched Wildflowers Not Weeds, an initiative designed to help Albertans tell the difference between native wildflowers and invasive plants before they buy or plant them.

The problem, says the council, is that invasive plants often do not look threatening. Many are colourful and familiar. But they spread aggressively, displace native species, degrade wildlife habitat, and hit agricultural productivity hard.

"A field of flowering invasive plants may look beautiful, but it can represent the loss of native wildflowers, pollinator habitat, biodiversity, and important ecosystem services that support both natural and working landscapes," said Megan Evans, executive director of the Alberta Invasive Species Council.

The campaign also takes aim at commercial wildflower seed mixes. Many products marketed as wildflower blends contain non-native species and can include invasive plants that escape gardens and spread into natural areas. Without clear labelling requirements, consumers can unknowingly undermine the very biodiversity they are trying to support.

Alberta's native grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Native wildflowers evolved alongside local pollinators, birds, and wildlife over thousands of years and form the foundation of healthy grasslands, forests, and wetlands across the province.

The campaign encourages Albertans to choose native plants for their gardens, avoid generic wildflower seed mixes, learn to identify invasive species, clean boots and gear after outdoor recreation, and report invasive species sightings using EDDMapS.

As part of the launch, Albertans can enter a social media contest on Facebook by sharing a photo of their favourite Alberta wildflower for a chance to win Wildflowers Not Weeds sticker packs.

The Alberta Native Plant Council's Native Plant Garden Challenge is also running alongside the campaign, inviting people to dedicate as little as one square metre of their yard to native plants.

"Prevention is the most effective tool we have," Evans said. "By preventing the spread of invasive plants, we can protect biodiversity, support pollinators, strengthen agricultural resilience, and reduce the significant costs invasive species place on Albertans every year."

For more information, visit abinvasives.ca. For native plant resources, visit anpc.ab.ca.

Source: Alberta Invasive Species Council