If the biodiversity crisis isn’t well-understood, the threat posed by invasive species might be going completely under the radar. Most of us see the signs: ‘clean, drain, dry your boat’, but few of us realize it’s a multi-billion dollar problem and the second leading cause of biodiversity loss. Gail Wallin is working hard to address this disconnect in our society. Chair of the Canadian Council of Invasive Species and executive director of the Invasive Species Council of BC, Gail is working on the frontlines of the biodiversity crisis.
Before boarding a flight back to her home in Williams Lake, BC, Gail joined us at the mouth of the Fraser River to help illustrate how we all impact – and are impacted by – invasive species.
What do you think?
- What did you learn from Gail’s story?
- What more needs to be done to raise awareness about invasive species?
- How do we find out more about what we don’t know?
- How can we make an obscure issue more relevant and more real to more people?
- Are the economic implications of invasive species a greater incentive for us to act?
- How critical is it to foster individual and community-level responsibility when it comes to invasives?