From invasion to inspiration

The plant that changed the landscape

Spartina, a type of cordgrass with three species identified in B.C.: Spartina anglica, Spartina densiflora, and Spartina patens, were likely introduced just south of B.C. in the 1960s. Planted to stabilize shorelines and create pastureland, as well as used as a natural packing material for food products, it wasn’t yet known that this plant had the ability to aggressively outcompete its native plant neighbours.

Spartina can essentially hold its breath underwater, piping oxygen to its roots, and surviving tidal inundation better than its native counterparts, surviving in deeper tidal zones as well as shallow ones, giving it an edge on the local flora. Its dense root system holds sediment in place, causing accumulation, and while increasing the elevation of the coastline is appealing in an age of sea-level rise – it should not come at the cost of the local plant and wildlife population. When native plants are lost, the creatures who feed upon them are displaced as well; ducks, shorebirds, salmon and shellfish all must look elsewhere for their food sources.

Early detection, rapid response — and relentless persistence

When Spartina was first spotted in British Columbia in the early 2000s, biologist Gary Williams sounded the alarm. Washington State had already spent millions battling the plant. If B.C. didn’t act fast, the same fate awaited its coast.

Under the guidance of the BC Spartina Working Group, a coalition of government agencies, First Nations, NGOs, and conservationists, British Columbia launched an early detection and rapid response program. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) took the lead on coordinating the fieldwork, alongside the BC Conservation Foundation. Financial support from the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and various previous funders, kept boots on the ground, and continue to do so.

In the early years, crews tried manual removals and small-scale trials. But by 2016, with numbers surging and a better understanding of how the plant spread (root fragments left behind after hand-pulling were able to bear new growth), they introduced targeted herbicide treatments under strict environmental conditions. The result was immediate and dramatic.

Spartina eradication takes time—and vigilance

On Vancouver Island, where a slightly different species of Spartina (densiflora) grows, crews are using hand removal rather than herbicide. This species doesn’t spread by its roots, making physical removal more effective, and signage is being developed to educate beachgoers, complete with plant ID tips and boot brushes to stop the spread.

The work isn’t done. Spartina seeds can lie dormant in the soil for years, and each site must be monitored for at least six Spartina-free seasons before it’s considered officially eradicated. Ongoing monitoring and removal of all detected plants on the mainland will be critical to the overall success, or all efforts will be lost. On Vancouver Island, efforts continue to ramp up and crews are tackling the challenge in 2025 by starting the Vancouver Island field season two months earlier to get a head start on treating both S. patens, and S. densiflora, which are both present there. In places like Boundary Bay and Mud Bay, the tide has clearly turned, and continued vigilance will ensure those gains are maintained, benefitting of the local ecosystems. 

Want to help?

May is Invasive Species Action Month in B.C., and coastal residents can play a vital role. Keep an eye out for suspicious cordgrass (especially in marshes and mudflats), report sightings, and participate in local shoreline cleanup events. And if you see one of the new educational signs with a boot brush—go ahead and give your boots a scrub. It might just stop Spartina from hitching a ride to a new home.

DUC gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.