Island Living Today - Cultivate Your Dream Garden

 

Island Living Today - Cultivate Your Dream Garden by Managing Invasive Species

Guest Speaker: Hunter Jarratt, Environmental Educator - aka the “Invasive Species Guy”

Are blackberries and ivy vines taking over your yard? They’re actually taking over Vancouver Island, but you can help turn the tide! By identifying and managing invasive species on your property, you’re not only cultivating your dream garden, but you’re also supporting the local environment, economy, society, and human health.

How is it all connected, you wonder? Hunter Jarratt explained it all to us during our Island Living Today talk. As the “Invasive Species Guy” on Instagram and TikTok, he educates over 40,000 followers on tangible actions that will protect our homes and communities. 

On June 5, we chatted about:

• Why homeowners should care about invasive species on their properties
• Resources to help you tell a “good weed” from a “bad weed”
• How native plants support beautiful, biodiverse, low-maintenance gardens

Speaker Bios

Hunter Jarratt is an environmental educator and invasive species specialist. Deeply committed to environmental protection, Hunter pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Protection at Vancouver Island University, and has worked with the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia and the Coastal Invasive Species Committee. Currently, he is working as a Restoration Consultant for KiKi Nursery in Ladysmith, where he has begun a project returning farmland back into a Garry Oak ecosystem. Through his social media (@invasivespeciesguy), he educates, motivates, and inspires people to get involved with protecting the province’s biodiversity.