Russian olive is a hardy plant that can survive in dry conditions and cold temperatures, making it perfect for a climate like that of Kamloops, a semi-arid, desert-like city in B.C.\u2019s Interior.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They take in more water than most plants in areas where the soil is dry, which means they can outgrow native plants, the invasive species council says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever you have a non-native species, there’s some that are fairly assertive, aggressive and those are the ones that we are concerned about,\u201d council executive director Gail Wallin said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
WATCH | City of Kamloops working to get rid of Russian olive trees:![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762041431_352_default.jpg\")
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Kamloops trying to best Russian Olives with bio control<\/p>\n
The Russian olive gall mite has been released in the Kamloops area and the city is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to see if it will reduce the spread of the invasive Russian olive. <\/p>\n
She said Russian olive are \u201chuge competitors\u201d for water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a time when we’re really concerned about water and water availability for our native species and for habitats, that’s a real concern.\u201d<\/p>\n
But getting rid of them isn\u2019t so easy. Because they have a strong root system and will grow back if every bit of plant isn\u2019t removed, extra care has to be taken, according to Wallin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Kamloops, the city is taking a different approach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead of pulling up trees and risking not getting the roots, or spraying them with pesticides that could be harmful to the ecosystem, the city is using biological controls \u2014 bugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aceria angustifoliae are small mites found in Europe and Asia, according to Kirsten Wourms, the crew leader of natural resources for the City of Kamloops. <\/p>\n
She said the mites affect the flowers, the fruits and new young shoots of the trees so that they cannot reproduce.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver time, we’re actually looking at the Russian olive population decreasing,\u201d Wourms said.<\/p>\n
But, she said, the process could take anywhere from 20 to 50 years. <\/p>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762041432_901_default.jpg\")
Kirsten Wourms, crew leader for natural resources with the City of Kamloops, said it could take decades for the Russian olive tree populations to decrease \u2014 but using biological controls is less harmful to other species, she added. (Jenifer Norwell\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Moving slow isn’t all bad, though. Wourms said it will give birds, insects and other animals that have come to rely on Russian olive trees time to adjust and find alternate food or shelter.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest lovers of Russian olive are the bears,\u201d Wourms said. \u201cThey come in and eat the fruit in the fall, help to fatten them up. So many pollinators use them.\u201d<\/p>\n