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Economic Impacts of Invasive Plants in BC
The sudden ignition of a brightly lit wildfire on the horizon sparks immediate
actions and budgeted resources. After all, the loud, crackling, hot flames are
hard to ignore as they advance toward communities. So how should we respond
to the silent, but significant, threat of invasive plants that appear pretty and
harmless along the highways and farmer’s fields, in public parks and backyard
gardens of British Columbia?
Despite their attractive appearance, invasive plants are one of the five most
significant causes of biodiversity loss and change to ecosystem functions, as
reported by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. They carry potential negative
impacts to the economy, environment, and society; therefore, preventative
planning and careful budgeting are required.
To date there is no established annual budget in BC to control invasive plants.
Once established, the environmental impacts of invasive plants can be as
significant as those caused by wildfire, and are often irreversible.
Recent studies on the economic impacts of invasive plants in BC have
staggering results. A 2006 survey showed that approximately $7 million was spent
on invasive plant management activities in BC that year (IPCBC Economic
Impacts Baseline Report #6). Results of the 2009 Economic Impacts of Invasive
Plants in BC (Report #12) analysis indicate that without intervention, the
economic damage caused by each invasive plant in the study was estimated to
range from $1 to 20 million dollars in 2008, increasing to between $5 and 60
million by 2020 (based on 2006 Canadian dollars). The total expected damages,
in the absence of any management, were estimated to be a minimum of $65
million in 2008, rising to $139 million by 2020. These values are likely
underestimates as economic data were not available for all potential impacts.
The above projections indicate enormous economic losses and severe
environmental damage in the decade ahead, which may be worsened by
climate change. Thus, a consistent province-wide invasive plant management
budget is needed. Current funding is a result of improved awareness about
invasive plants in BC and partnerships between the provincial government, key
stakeholders, and the Invasive Plant Council of BC. Some of these funds have
been dedicated to undertaking comprehensive economic impacts research.
To date, the majority of research reports assessing the economic impacts of
invasive plants in BC have focused on the agriculture sector. Crop losses alone
cost BC farmers and ranchers over $50 million annually due to invasive plant
species, like knapweed, that infest rangelands and reduce forage quality, states
the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Several million dollars more are spent
annually to control invasive plants through herbicide and cultivation.
In addition to impacts on agricultural and range resources, invasive plants can
impact forestry operations by competing with seedlings for light, nutrients, and
water; and recreation opportunities by puncturing tires, obstructing trails, and
reducing aesthetics. These environmental impacts lead to costly restoration of
recreational trails, re-planting of tree seedlings, as well as reduction in value of
personal and commercial property.
The impacts of invasive plants to all natural resource sectors of the economy are
being felt across the nation. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
estimates that of the 485 invasive plant species in Canada, invasive plants in
crops and pastures alone cost approximately $2.2 billion every year. The CFIA
classifies 94 invasive species as agricultural or forest pests and estimates that
these regulated species cost the Canadian economy $7.5 billion annually.
In the Prairie provinces, canola yield losses and treatment for Canada thistle
(Cirsium arvense) cost an estimated $320 million per year (CFIA). In Manitoba,
leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) infests 340,000 acres of land, costing an estimated
$19 million per year in protection of grazing land, public land, and right-of-ways.
Furthermore, a United States study reports that the invasion of leafy spurge in four
northern states has resulted in annual losses of US $129 million, equivalent to
approximately 1,433 jobs. According to the CFIA, the total cost of preventative
measures, control programs, and lost production due to invasive species is
estimated to exceed $137 billion a year in the US.
Invasive plants have no boundaries, and their introduction to an environment
may threaten the survival of native species, and can also prompt trading
partners to impose restrictions, causing further economic losses.
A US study conducted by the Center for Aquatic Conservation at the University
of Notre Dame and University of Wyoming suggests invasive species transferred in
ship ballasts may be costing the Great Lakes region more than $200 million a
year in losses to commercial fishing, sport fishing, and the area's water supply.
On a larger scale, invasive species reduce the effectiveness of development
investments by choking irrigation canals, fouling industrial pipelines, and
impeding hydroelectric facilities. Invasive species therefore contribute to social
instability and economic hardship, placing constraints on sustainable
development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and food security, says the
Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP).
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity concurs, saying that
invasive species can exacerbate poverty and threaten sustainable
development through their impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, human
health, and biodiversity, which is often a basis of livelihoods of people in
developing countries. The alien aquatic plant, water hyacinth (Elchhornia
crassipes), for instance, costs an estimated US $100 million a year on issues
related to water use in developing countries.
Despite the growing evidence of the economic impacts caused by invasive
species, the level of awareness amongst decision-makers is still relatively low, says
the GISP. The economic impact of many invasive species is poorly documented
because of the difficulty in assessing impacts to habitats, such as forests,
rangelands, aquatic, wetland, and riparian sites. A conservative estimate by the
GISP puts the global cost of tackling invasive species at $1.4 trillion each year, 5%
of the global economy.
Ironically, most introductions of invasive species are based on economic
motivations, but are seldom preceded by cost-benefit analysis that discusses
societal and ecological consequences, states the BC Ministry of Environment. It is
rarely those responsible for introducing an invasive species, either intentionally or
accidentally, who pay for resulting damages. Instead, consumers, other resource
users, and tax-payers bear most of the burden.
Without greater intervention and an appropriate budget, the cost of controlling
invasive plants will increase exponentially over time. These “invaders” have the
capacity to permanently alter ecosystems, reduce property values, impact
natural resource sectors of the economy, and in the worst cases, cause the
extinction of native species. They are silently and rapidly impacting the
landscape with the same swiftness and destruction as a wildfire, but without the
bells and whistles to sound the alarm.
Invasive plants vary greatly in western Canada's diverse climates. To find out
more about invasive plants in your area, to seek alternative plants for your
garden or to get involved, visit www.invasiveplantcouncilbc.ca or phone 1-888WEEDSBC, or (250) 392-1400.