Broombusters Comes to Vancouver’s Lower Mainland
Inaugural cut at Glen Park, Coquitlam on Earth Day 2022.
Coquitlam, BC – The invasive species, Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) is now starting to bloom in BC. Don’t let those cheery yellow blossoms fool you, this is one hearty invasive, as one plant can produce approximately 18,000 seeds that pop from pods in the summer heat. The seeds can remain viable over 30 years.
Robbin Whachell, a resident of Coquitlam was out walking a local trail during last year’s heat dome and noticed the sound of popping. She captured video and posted it on Facebook. A friend who lives on Vancouver Island told her to check out Broombusters.
Whachell did, and contacted the executive director, Joanne Sales. This spring Broombusters Coquitlam was born and is now a new chapter of the Broombusters Invasive Plant Society.
Scotch broom was introduced to Vancouver Island in 1850 by Captain Walter Grant. His three seeds spread broom all over Vancouver Island, and now it has spread onto the mainland. Broom spreads rapidly and densely, and will crowd out native species wherever it grows. Although it can grow anywhere in the sun, we see it most frequently in disturbed soil on highways, transmission lines, railways and clearcut fields.
Unlike many invasives, broom is not pulled but instead cut close to the ground so as to not disturb soil where seeds may be laying in waiting to germinate. Long-handled loppers do most of the work. Whachell, who is the project lead for Broombusters Coquitlam is working in collaboration with the Municipality. Together they scouted target areas and the city provides pickup and disposal of the cuttings. Cutting work began on Earth Day.
“I’m happy to be helping with this problem and to be bringing awareness to the invasive. It’s great to have people come out who want to do the same. There’s a feeling of accomplishment to clear an area! It will make a big difference.”
Me at at the Coquitlam Crunch
Broombusters started in Qualicum Beach in 2006, with their slogan “Cut Broom in Bloom.” There are now 14 participating municipalities and districts on Vancouver Island where, in 2021, over 600 people cut broom for over 7000 hours. Coquitlam is the first city on the mainland to participate in Broombusters.
Broombusters Coquitlam held their first community cut at Glen Park and have since moved on to tackle the hydro line corridor at the Coquitlam Crunch trail. They started work on the east side of Mundy Park thereafter. Whachell and others will continue work at both the Mundy and Crunch locations as there is much broom to tackle.
Cuts will continue to take place in May and June each year. They invite others to join them. To learn more, go to www.broombusters.org