Invasive species specialists on Instagram shared an inspirational time-lapse video of a day spent tackling problem plants on a British Columbia roadside.
"What a lovely afternoon," the caption read. The footage shows the aptly named volunteer group BroomBusters tackling an infestation of Scotch broom in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
The clip demonstrates the group's impressive work as a stretch of land is cleared of invasive plants. A few timely close-ups show just how much effort went into pulling out the dense vegetation at the roots.
Scotch broom is a widely dispersed invasive plant on both coasts of North America and some inland states. It was introduced from Europe and planted in gardens for its ornamental appeal starting in the 1800s.
According to the National Park Service, it was also later used for erosion control along highways, such as the location seen in the video.
Like other invasive species, it causes problems by outcompeting native flora. Scotch broom spreads quickly and adapts to nutrient-scarce soil.
One of the video's hashtags, #cutbroominbloom, refers to the technique recommended by the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia.
As a short video shared on the USDA's website suggests: "Ideally, we'll cut broom in bloom as close to the ground as possible."
Once an invasive species takes hold, it is extremely difficult to eradicate. With enough effort, it's possible to free a yard of problem plants like English ivy. Of course, it's far more preferable to avoid gardening with invasive plants in the first place.
Rewilding a yard with native plants provides all the aesthetics without the downsides. Better yet, because those gorgeous natives are attuned to the local ecosystem, they require much less money, water, and effort to maintain.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 The video's comments showered the trio with well-deserved praise.
"Y'all rock!" said one.
"Thank you for your hard work," enthused another.
One comment simply dubbed the volunteers, "Real-life heroes!"
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