Invasive Species Awareness Week:
February 24 to Feb 28

There are many ways that invasive species can get introduced. Some of these include:

1. Through the aquarium or horticultural trades. Be cognizant of what you are buying when you go and pick out plants for the garden - ask for native plants. Be concerned about not just the plants, but the seeds and what you may be using for bird feed.

If you have an aquarium with exotic fish, don't release them into our waterways. Here is one 'do not' example that we all relate to - goldfish - which have been found in the Great Lakes. They are taking food and habitat from native species. Read more from a CTV News article .

Helpful resources:

• Grow me instead guides from Ontario Invasive Plant Council website
• Ornamental Grasses to avoid, and ones to try by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.

2. Live food fish trades. This refers to live fish traded for human consumption. Asian carp best exemplifies why this is a danger. If these live fish got into waterways through negligence or lack of education, and started to reproduce, the consequences to food webs in the Great Lakes would be enormous. It is illegal to transport, sell, or possess live Asian Carp in Ontario and the Great Lakes US States.

3. Packaging materials. Careful what comes your way in the packaging of products you buy. For example, wood packaging was identified as a method of transport for the Asian Long Horned beetle from China to the US. This beetle killed many broad leafed trees in the US in particular. Read more about this invasive at the Invading Species Awareness Program website. Sadly, another pathway - wood movement - exacerbated the spread (see next point).

4. Movement of wood. Bringing wood for campfires for example, from another region, brings species from that area that can be invasive like the Asian Long Horned beetle. Another example is the Emerald Ash Borer that has devastated ash trees in Southwest Ontario and Great Lakes States. Remember to buy it where you burn it! More info about the Emerald Ash Borer an be found at the Invading Species Awareness Program website.

5. Unauthorized fish introductions' or transfers.Unauthorized fish introductions' or transfers. One example - do not ever release live bait from fishing into a waterway. You can't be sure what species your bait is.

6. Contaminated Vehicles for transportation, construction, or recreation. Your boat, or ATV for example could be carrying aquatic or terrestrial invasive plant bits or organisms that can be transferred to other areas and start to grow and multiply. To avoid this transfer, implement clean equipment protocols and consider buying a brush for your clothing if you are hiking through the woods in new areas.

Helpful resources:

• Clean Equipment protocol for land vehicles and construction vehicles from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council website. Summary 1 page and full document.
• Clean your boat to prevent invasive transfer. Excellent practices from the Invading Species Awareness Program.

There are more than 180 non-native aquatic species such as plants, animals, fish and microorganisms that have entered the Great Lakes to date, and the impact of many of these introduced species can be catastrophic for native ecosystems. When the spread of a non-native species risks major damage to the environment, human economy or human health, they are called invasive.

Here are a few examples:

• Invasive Phragmites. A reed originally from Europe that threatens to take over coastal wetlands in Georgian Bay, impacting biodiversity, reducing habitat, impairing wetland functionality, and interfering with recreational access to the water. Georgian Bay Forever works with partners and community groups and volunteers like you to remove this plant from Georgian Bay wetlands. Learn about this invasive and join a Georgian Bay group this summer! Find out more.
• Round Goby Non-native, bottom dwelling fish that eat eggs of young native fish and reproduce at a high rate. Listen to the 1 Minute podcast.
• Quagga Mussels. Impressive breeders that eat plankton and other organisms that native fish need - disrupting the food web. Listen to the 1 Minute podcast.
• Top 6 invasives that threaten Great Lakes wetlands. A perspective from ecologist Dr. Janice Gilbert. Read the article.
• Eurasian Watermilfoil…….Stealth Invader. An article by Peter Andrews, a Eurasian watermilfoil community project manager. Read the article.
• Asian carp - 3 species are not in the Great Lakes, but a huge concern to transfer from the Mississippi Basin. One species, grass carp (and capable of reproduction), have been recently reported to have been found in Lake Erie. Learn more.

It takes all levels of society, governments, citizens, corporations, and non-profit organizations and more to work together to combat invasive species. This environmental charity, Georgian Bay Forever, plays a role in helping to educate, train and help manage and prevent invasive species.

The list below is not exhaustive - there are so many organizations and conservation authorities that all contribute and can provide information. Here is a selection of tools and resources from invasive fighting organizations:

• Clean Equipment Protocol for land vehicles and construction vehicles from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council website. Summary 1 page and full document.
• Clean boats protocol to prevent invasives, from the Invading Species Awareness Program.
• Stopping Invasive Phragmites. For Georgian Bay coastal wetlands, go to this page on our website. For land management practices, go to the website of the Ontario Phragmites Working Group.
• Call or report your sightings at a) Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or b) via email info@invadingspecies.com or c) sign up for the new Invasive Species tracking system, and mobile App for Android and Apple devices! EDDMapS Ontario is a fast and easy way to map invasive species without any technical expertise. Users simply take a picture with their mobile device and report from where they are standing. Visit www.eddmaps.org/ontario to register and report your sighting.
• Managing invasive plants. The Ontario Invasive Plant Council provides several Best Practice Management Guides for Invasive Plants.
• Grow me instead guides from Ontario Invasive Plant Council website
• Ornamental Grasses to avoid, and ones to try by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.
• Top 5 Aquatic Invasives to Look Out For (exclusive of Phragmites). An 8 minute video from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council, friend to Georgian Bay Forever. Link.

Thank you for learning about invasive species and working to protect native ecosystems! During this week, you can follow the hashtag #InvSpWk.

Unfortunately, sometimes we unknowingly contribute to invasive spread by planting harmful plants in our gardens. The best thing to do is to ask about and buy native plants. Here are some resources that can help you:

• Grow me instead guides from Ontario Invasive Plant Council website
• Ornamental Grasses to avoid, and ones to try by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.
Thank you for learning about invasive species and working to protect native ecosystems! During this week, you can follow the hashtag #InvSpWk

There are many organizations and websites that provide free information and access to training resources and more to combat invasive species. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are a few good examples:

• Georgian Bay Forever. This website and our social platforms provide information on invasive species on a regular basis. We also have a full program working with communities to try to eradicate invasive Phragmites from Georgian Bay coastal wetlands. Learn about invasive Phragmites and join a Georgian Bay group this summer! Find out more.
• The Ontario Invasive Plant Council website has many materials, resources and webinars about invasive plants.
• Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program, a family member of the Invasive Species Centre.
• Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority works on managing and educating on several invasive species in the Collingwood and Wasaga area.
• Tools for Teachers from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council website.
  
• The Severn Sound Environmental Association
  Participating Organizations historically, ISAW

• Invading Species Awareness Program- Downloadable Resources
• Ontario Invasive Plant Council – Invasive plant control documents
• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
• EDDMapS Ontario
• Invasive Species Centre
• Forest Invasives
• Forests Ontario
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Great Lakes Information Network
• Asian Carps Canada
Thank you for learning about invasive species and working to protect native ecosystems! During this week, you can follow the hashtag #InvSpWk
Please note: I'm happy to add your organization to this list. Please contact communications.