Abstract

   Our project focuses on establishing where purple loosestrife has been found in the Township of Langley, and projecting where it could potentially spread.  The Township of Langley is home to many ecosystems that are vulnerable to this species, particularly wetland habitats, and we wished to determine which of these areas are going to be most vulnerable to purple loosestrife invasion in the next two to five years.

    Using data on current locations of purple loosestrife in the Township of Langley, a model was created to 'weight' various aspects relating to the likelihood of purple loosestrife spread to predict the spread of these purple loosestrife populations in the following one, two, and five years.  A proximity analysis was performed to determine which high-value ecological areas in the township, including wetlands and parks, were most at risk from purple loosestrife invasion; from this a management plan was proposed to minimize the risk to these areas.