Charlottetown fights invasive species with native seed giveaway

If you're doing any gardening this spring, the city of Charlottetown hopes you'll focus on native plants.

The city has launched an educational campaign to combat invasive species and encourage the public to plant native species that are pollinator friendly.

City staff harvested native wildflower seeds and created seed packages for the public that include information about invasives and the importance of pollinators. As part of this project, Enactus UPEI students created seed coins, which are small discs of recycled paper with native wildflower seeds pressed into it.

Enactusbrings students from different disciplines together to focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and the environment with 73 university teams across the country.

The seed coin contains joe pye-weed and swamp milkweed. Along with those native plants, the wildflower seed package also contains blue eyed grass and pearly everlasting, all plants that are native to P.E.I. and attractive to pollinators.

The city plans to use the wildflower seed packages and seed coins at events, such as the annual general meeting of the P.E.I. Invasive Species Council on Friday, and for educational activities, such as the nature education program at Victoria Park.

A limited number of the wildflower seed packages are available at the main reception desk at City Hall, 199 Queen St.

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