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What
do Broombusters do?
Broombusters are ordinary folk who get out their loppers in May
and June and cut down the flowering plants wherever we see them.
This will not eliminate the broom from the Island, but hopefully
will contain its spread - until a better solution comes forward.
We have had great support from some townships and the Ministry of
Transportation. We welcome anyone and everyone to join us, no matter
where he or she lives. Email or call to find out how you can help,
and what support is available, in your town and community. If no
one is currently active in your area, please email or call. It is
very easy to get broomcutting active in your area.
You don't have to join Broombusters to do what people have been
doing on many continents for centuries. Cut broom in bloom!
Broombusters
Invasive Plant Society:
1. Posts information about broom cutting events that citizens and
other organizations organize.
2. Connects with townships and ministries to organize broom pick
ups, etc.
3. Provides help so that neighbors can get together to remove and
prevent the spread of broom. Broom tends to just run down the street,
and it is only when neighbors communicate and join together, that
this type of spread can be controlled. Broombusters acts as a comunication
central for coordinated activities.
4. Posts pictures and information on line about other broombusters,
which encourages us all!
5. Posts information that can be downloaded and shared, as neighbors
talk to neighbors, and groups talk to towns.
6. Most "broombusting" is done by individuals on their
own time. However, we all watch each other at work. The piles of
broom on the roadside cut by volunteers everywhere assures us that
we part of a collective effort to save our native species, protect
pasture lands and forests. (If volunteers want to work on public
roads, they need to sign the Adopt-a-Hwy insurance form.)
* Broombusters does not actually sponsor these events. It is the
residents and communities that make it happen! That's YOU. But we
are here to help you be successful.
Cut broom in bloom.
*There are many people cutting broom, and many of them have never
heard of Broombusters. That is wonderful! But it is important to
remember that everyone works at their own risk. Sign an Adopt-a-Hwy
Insurance form.
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Our mission is to prevent
the spread of Scotch broom.
We are totally a volunteer group. You’ll see broombusters
walking along the highway and cutting down single broom plants and
new infestations; clearing their own and neighbors properties; clearing
walkways and paths. We only work at this task while broom is in
bloom.
It seems like Scotch broom has the ability to look down a road and
say, “I can take over this town...” - and quite often
it succeeds. However, the residents who live in that community can
stop the spread - by cutting down one broom at a time. The work
is not hard, but it requires that everyone work together. And that
is not such a bad thing!
Our goal is
• to enable, connect, and empower people to take on the task
of controlling Scotch broom.
• to be a communication
board for towns and communities to publish their activities
• to protect the
native plant species and animals of British Columbia; to protect
and reclaim pasture and forest lands.
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The Story - The Origins
of Broombusters
Broombusters started the way
all movements start. A group of friends were talking....
This group was at the Errington Market, a small thriving farmers
& crafts market in a wooded park in Errington. Standing beside
Sunshine’s stall with herbs and oils, the conversation turned
to Scotch Broom. “It’s everywhere!” “A catastrophe.”
“It’s so much worse than last year.” On and on.
Joanne Sales decided to find out what was being done about it. Many
individuals were cutting broom on their own property, and a few
groups were removing broom from specific parks. But other than that,
there was not much being done about Scotch broom in Spring 2006.
Scotch broom seemed to be slipping through the cracks - EVERYWHERE.
It was quickly apparent that if the people of the Island wanted
to keep scotch broom from taking over the Island, they would have
to show that it was a priority - and start cutting it themselves.
And they did.
Joanne Sales conceived of the idea of Broombusters. She made tons
of phone calls. Everyone was concerned about the broom problem,
but the quickest responses to support the Broombusting effort came
from the town of Qualicum Beach through Wendy Mauer, and the Ministry
of Transportation through Bob Hickman. As a means of communication,
the broombuster website was put up: www.broombusters.org. Soon,
Broombusters had hundreds of emails flying all over Vancouver Island,
talks on local radio stations, a television story, and articles
and pictures in local papers. A dedicated core group of about thirty
people did most of the organized cutting in the Oceanside area in
2006 - leaving piles and piles of broom beside the roads which were
picked up by the Ministry of Transportation or the town crew of
Qualicum Beach. Home and farm owners cut and burned massive amounts
of broom on their own properties. Another group of Port Alberni
residents organized and completed a large broom removal on a hillside
beside the hospital... And then the broom went to seed. Cutting
had to stop for the 2006 season.
In 2007, there was much more going on to counter the broom scourge.
There were many more individuals, garden clubs, groups and towns
involved. Each effort was unique and self directed. All efforts
were respected and welcome!
In 2008, the effort continued,
the movement grew. We knew we were doing our job because some people
got very upset! "Why were you attacking Scotch broom?"
If we hadn't been making progress, they would not have known. But now
many roads from Nanoose to Deep Bay that used to be covered with
broom have become clear again - allowing the native plants to grow. By
2009, there were no complaints. Public support is strongly in favor
of controlling this invasive plant! Each year, more towns get involved. We partnership with other groups as well, as we are all working towards the same goal. We're all in this together.
You don't have to join Broombusters to cut broom! People have been cutting broom for centuries! However, if you want to cut broom as part of broombusters, we need you to contact us so that you can work together, arrange pick up, and include you with any insurance coverage that may be available. For everyone's protection, you need to sign a waiver. Then we'll support you and your community in any way that we can!
There is great need for people to step
forward to get the energy going in their own community, town, and
neighborhood. If you actually want to join the Broombusters
Invasive Plant Society, we welcome you to contact us. Please email.
Many thanks to all volunteers, known and unknown - and to you!
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