The Purposes of the Society are:

• To coordinate the management of invasive plants on public and private lands in the East Kootenay region;
• To educate the public, private landowners and land managers about invasive plants and their impacts within the East Kootenay;
• To prevent the further introduction and spread of invasive plants in the area through education and awareness, early detection and control, and coordinated integrated weed management efforts;
• To promote and implement an integrated management system with consideration for use of all available methods of the prevention, eradication, control and containment of invasive plants;
• To increase awareness of invasive plant management amongst industry, resource users, local and provincial governments and encourage expanded support of local weed control programs and initiatives;
• To assist in maintaining a comprehensive inventory of invasive plants within the East Kootenay;
• To hire and direct a coordinator to fulfill the purposes of the East Kootenay Invasive Plant Council as required.

How the EKIPC Began

In 2005 the Province of BC invested $1.2 Mil in invasive plant management in the East Kootenay region, for a 3 year period. The East Kootenay Invasive Plant Pilot Project Committee (EKIPPPC) formed to see the Pilot Project to its’ completion in 2007.

The EKIPPPC requested representatives of Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (MAL), Ministry of Forests and Range (MFR), Ministry of Transportation (MoT), Ministry of Environment (MoE), Inter-ministry Invasive Plant Working Group (IMIPWG), Kootenay Livestock Association (KLA), BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF), First Nations and the Regional District East Kootenay. The RDEK agreed to be administrator of all funds and contracts set forth in the Pilot Project.

 The EKIPPPC was tasked to develop and coordinate a “single agency delivery model” approach to invasive plant management. This approach had been successfully used in Montana and elsewhere in the U.S.

Program Structure

Five Invasive Plant Management Areas (IPMA’s)  were established within the boundaries of the RDEK. Within each IPMA, priority new and established species, infested sites and sensitive areas were identified for invasive plant management. These core sites were targeted for management based on a workplan and strategic approach for each IPMA. Local representatives from Crown land management agencies, key user groups and selected private land owners consulted to determine IPMA boundaries and management priorities. Primarily management activities took place on provincial government lands with coordination of activities with private landholders facilitated through the RDEK. Each IVMA is managed by an Area Controller, after a request for proposal process is completed. Each IVMA area controller manages all priority IP species and sites on all crown tenure in each IVMA. Rancher contractors were also awarded contracts to carry out IP management on their respective crown grazing tenures.

After  the completion of the three year pilot project, the current East Kootenay Invasive Plant Council (EKIPC) was established as a  non-profit Council in 2008.