Grab your pruners, dust off your gloves and get ready to work.

The Highlands Broom Bash goes this weekend (Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1) starting at 9 a.m. The Highlands District Community Association is partnering with The Land Conservancy and residents in honour of B次元官网网址渄e-broom week,B次元官网网址� to help rid the area of those pesky yellow-blooming plants.

B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 not removed then weB次元官网网址檒l lose part of our natural attraction,B次元官网网址� said Bob McMinn, the first Highlands mayor and one of the event organizers. B次元官网网址淏room is a very invasive species that likes shallow soils.B次元官网网址� It also shades and forces out native species and destroys the landscape, he added.

However, removing this invasive terror is no easy feat. With seeds that can survive in the soil for 20 to 40 years, McMinn said volunteers have to be careful when removing plants. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a good thing not to disturb the ground.B次元官网网址� If that happens, he said, any seeds present will immediately start to germinate.

While some small plants can be pulled from the ground without disturbing the soil too much, large plants should be cut just below the ground line and have soil pushed back over the remaining stem so it is no longer exposed to light.

While this weekendB次元官网网址檚 eradication efforts will focus on District parks, roadsides and other public places, McMinn said theyB次元官网网址檒l also do clearing along the power lines, but not as much as heB次元官网网址檇 like to see. B次元官网网址淎t some point IB次元官网网址檇 love to take the broom off the power lines; it remains a great reservoir of seeds.B次元官网网址�

With more hands at this weekendB次元官网网址檚 event, that may be doable. While McMinn is encouraged by the number of residents who have already phoned to say theyB次元官网网址檙e coming or will tackle a specific area, thereB次元官网网址檚 always room for more volunteers.

For those interested in participating, meet at the new Community Hall (729 Finlayson Arm Rd.) to co-ordinate efforts. Come for one or both days and be ready to do some damage to this invasive species. Participants are asked to bring their own tools and gloves so donated items will go further.

McMinn noted The Home Depot donated six pairs of large pruners for volunteers to use, which will be put to good use as some stems can reach a diameter of roughly one inch.

Volunteers with pickup trucks are also encouraged to bring their wheels to help with transporting cut material back to the Community Hall, where it will be processed. Last year the collected broom was chipped to create 15 yards of organic material.

The chips will eventually be mixed with local manure, creating compost that will reach thermophilic temperatures, killing any remaining seeds. The mixture will then be saved for future community garden projects. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 being put to good purposes,B次元官网网址� McMinn said.

Organizers are also encouraging residents to take a look at their own properties and do a little broom bashing at home. All of that cut material can also be brought to the Community Hall for chipping, or arrangements can be made to have it picked up curbside over the weekend or next week.

To arrange for pickup, call McMinn at 778-678-0805 on Saturday or Sunday, or at home (250-478-4403) for pickup the following week.

Organizers remind residents the Community Hall will not be open during the event, so there will be no washroom facilities available.

katie@goldstreamgazette.com