This week is National Invasive Species Awareness week.
The South East Alberta Watershed Alliance (SEAWA) is drawing awareness to a specific noxious invasive grass that is on the rise in Alberta.
Downy brome, or cheatgrass, reproduces quickly and it will start to grow in March and April.
Cheatgrass has an early growing period, making use of spring runoff before crops and species that grow naturally in Medicine Hat.
It is also hardy against drought, giving it the potential to take over during extended dry periods.
For farmers, who’s yields are already under threat, a cheatgrass infestation is bad news, as it significantly decreases the value and quantity of yields.
Ben White with SEAWA says farmers aren’t the only ones who should be on the lookout for this invasive grass.
“[Cheatgrass is] pretty easy to spot, especially in the summer. Just yank it out, it’s pretty shallow rooted, it’s easy to pull out, you can throw it in the trash,” White told CHAT News.
“If it doesn’t have seeds on it, you can even just turn it upside down on the ground, it’ll die,” White added.
“People in the city should be keeping an eye out on it too, because it’s a pretty big garden weed as well.”
For farmers, scouting fields and pastures in March can help find invasive plants before they become a problem.
