Nab the Bully Plant: a new resource kit for teachers and youth leaders
Attention teachers and youth leaders: Would the kids in your class or club like to know more about little green invaders with names as intriguing as Purple Loosestrife, Hound's Tongue and Tansy Ragwort?
Nab the Bully Plant is a new resource package developed by the Fraser Basin Council to help teachers and leaders of youth clubs (4H Clubs, Cubs, Girl Guides and others) educate young people about invasive plants in BC and their impacts on local ecosystems and economies. The program is a great way to encourage children — ages 9 to 11 — to be responsible stewards.
Through program activities, kids become agents on a special mission to nab bully plants in their neighbourhood and surrounding areas. They receive the tools they need to solve a mystery (why are invasive plants a problem?), identify the suspects (top invasive plants in the area), recognize the getaway vehicles (methods of spread) and figure out how to nab them (methods of prevention and control).
The kit offers youth leaders background information and activity plans — everything needed to undertake an exciting exploration on invasive plants, regardless of background knowledge. Here is the place to start!
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A two-part kit for download: |
If you are a teacher or youth leader and plan to use the Nab the Bully Plant program, you will be interested to know that regional weed committees now exist in most areas of BC, operating through regional districts or as non-profit societies. Invasive plant education is a cornerstone of many of these programs, so local coordinators may be able to offer advice or information on weeds specific to your region. To find your local weed committee, visit the Invasive Plant Council of BC.