BC’s Most Wanted: Assessing the Impacts of Invasive Species on Species at Risk in BC at the 2021 Invasive Species Research Conference

In October 2021, ESSA was one of the sponsors for the Invasive Species Research Conference, held by the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. The conference connected invasive species researchers and practitioners to showcase research from across the Pacific Northwest, to help create links between invasive species science and operations, and to identify current invasive species research priorities for BC. Through knowledge exchange, facilitated dialogue sessions, and networking opportunities, attendees built new relationships, strengthened existing collaborations, and bridged the gap between research and active policies and practices.

In addition to sponsoring this event, ESSA’s Natascia Tamburello (Sr. Systems Ecologist) and Aline Litt (Research Assistant) presented ‘BC’s Most Wanted: A systematic Assessment of Invasive Species Impacts to Species at Risk in BC’. This presentation summarized outcomes from their recent report that synthesized the impacts that priority invasive species are having on federally-listed species at risk in British Columbia.

By examining which invasive species were impacting which species at risk, where these impacts were occurring, how they were impacting the species at risk, and the magnitude of impacts, this analysis clearly illustrated the extensive and wide-ranging impacts of invasive species on species at risk in the province. Our study found that invasive species are having significant impacts on species at risk, that these impacts are severe and persisting, and that some invasive species have disproportionate levels of impact across multiple species at risk. The information in this review can help inform public outreach campaigns, future research to fill gaps in understanding, and management interventions for targeting both the worst invasive species and the most vulnerable species at risk.

This work was contracted by the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia, with funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, to help guide the development of strategies that make the best use of limited management resources. The full report is available on the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia’s website: https://bcinvasives.ca/news/new-report-on-species-at-risk/.