Spring Hello From The Invasive Species Centre |
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Hello and spring greetings to all!
In this spring edition of The Spread, we are excited to highlight news from the Invasive Species Centre including new species updates, invasive species action campaigns, and new projects.
There are many ways to get involved and share in our vision of a Canada where land and water are protected from invasive species -- from community tree checks, to practicing boating clean-drain-dry protocols out on the water, to learning how to help manage invasive species in your backyard, and joining our monthly webinars.
In 2021, we are celebrating the ISC's 10th anniversary milestone and are excited to announce the launch of a new program to help support community groups in preventing invasive species along recreational trails, called the Invasive Species Centre Ontario Boot Brush Station Contest. We are also delighted to recognize and support the exciting work of community groups through our 24 Invasive Species Centre Education and Community Action Microgrants for Ontario projects being completed this year to support the prevention and management of invasive species.
We are always interested in new partnerships and new ideas - please contact me if you would like to discuss a new opportunity.
We extend thanks to our dedicated Board members, ISC team, partners, and supporters with a common goal of continued growth in invasive species action, outreach and innovation.
With best wishes for an enjoyable start to the spring season,
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Sarah Rang
Executive Director, Invasive Species Centre
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Pest Alert! Moss Balls And Invasive Mussels |
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Have you recently purchased moss balls? They could be infested with invasive mussels.
In Canada, invasive Zebra and/or Quagga Mussels have been found in moss ball products, a type of aquarium plant product made of green algae.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada urges everyone who has purchased moss ball products in Canada or ordered them on-line, to treat and dispose of them as well as your aquarium water responsibly. Decontamination is key to stopping their spread.
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Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) is an invasive aquatic plant species that resembles a large sedge. It produces aesthetically pleasing pink flowers which grow in a cluster that resemble an umbrella.
Flowering rush is invasive to North America and is found in all provinces in Canada and most of the northern United States. This species spreads very easily and can cause several negative impacts. It displaces native vegetation and alters water quality, leading to reduced biodiversity and alterations to fish and wildlife habitat.
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Prussian Carp are silvery-brown bodied fish that closely resemble Goldfish. They can live between 5 to 10 years and spawn several times per year.
Prussian Carp have been found in aquatic environments with low oxygen and poor water quality that are not suitable for native fish species. They are also a habitat and feeding generalist, that can outcompete native species for food and habitat. These characteristics make them a prolific invader which threatens the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems.
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Taro Murata Talks Asian Carp |
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Asian Grass Carp pose a serious threat to our fish and wildlife in North America. Learn from professional multi-species angler Taro Murata how to identify Asian Grass Carp and what to do if you catch a grass carp.
To supplement Taro's entertaining and educational video, here are a few resource links on Grass Carp:
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Lymantria dispar dispar (Ldd) 2021 - European Gypsy Moth
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As the warmer months approach, so does the population of Lymantria dispar dispar (often referred to as European gypsy moth), which is expected to intensify for another summer in 2021. Click here for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's Ldd forecast.
Lymantria dispar dispar (Ldd) is an invasive and destructive forest pest that poses a risk to deciduous and coniferous tree species.
Ldd has been infesting North American forests since its introduction in Massachusetts by a French scientist in 1868. In Canada, Ldd is found in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
While oak is the preferred host of Ldd, it can survive and thrive off more than 300 different species of trees and shrubs, including maple, poplar, birch, white pine, and spruce.
Ldd can easily spread as egg masses that are laid on surfaces such as cars and campers. Once they hatch, the new larvae hang on silken threads and disperse locally by the wind. Ldd are most destructive in their larval stage – as caterpillars – stripping away foliage from a broad variety of trees.
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Aquatic Invasive Species And eDNA |
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Enabling early detection through eDNA sampling.
eDNA, short for environmental DNA, is genetic material that is shed into the environment by living or dead organisms. eDNA can be shed via feces, reproductive cells, mucous, skin, and hair.
eDNA sampling allows scientists to detect invasive species such as Asian carps, water soldier, spiny waterflea, zebra mussels, and many others.
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Community Science Tree Check Form
Monitoring Forest Health With The Power Of Community Engagement
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The Community Science Tree Check project aims to empower Canadians with the knowledge and tools to monitor the health of the trees in their communities and increase priority pest surveillance efforts through community data collection.
Invasive insects and pathogens threaten Canada’s forest ecosystems, the economy, and society. Continuous community monitoring of tree health will help supplement the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) forest pest surveillance program, thus enhancing capacity for early detection and rapid response while providing a better understanding of overall forest health conditions.
Community science harnesses local knowledge, collective action, and empowerment to help improve conservation, livelihoods, and governance outcomes. It links to ecosystem-based management, and environmental sustainability, and is an effective ecosystem monitoring tool.
Community members are invited to use the tree check form and survey the trees in their neighbourhood. The form can be submitted an unlimited number of times so that your monitoring efforts can be continuous and up to date! Even if your trees appear healthy, entering that information helps gain a better understanding of the status of Canada’s forest health.
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Know Before You Go
Stop The Spread Of Aquatic Invasive Species
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While COVID-19 has us staying home for now, we can still look ahead to planning outdoor getaways when restrictions lift.
If you're boating out of province, did you know that there are rules and regulations in place to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species?
Don’t give invasive mussels the muscle to spread! Make sure you review the legislation in the jurisdiction you’re travelling to for specific requirements. It’s always a good idea to inspect your watercraft and clean, drain and dry to help reduce the harm to Canada’s waterbodies.
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Invasive Species Centre Turns 10 |
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Invasive Species Centre Ontario Boot Brush Station Contest |
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To commemorate its 10-year anniversary, the Invasive Species Centre is providing ten boot brush stations in Ontario to help protect recreational trail systems from invasive species.
Invasive species can hitchhike on people’s boots and clothing, equipment, and pets from other areas, and damage the natural areas where we love to hike and camp.
When we brush debris containing invasive plant seeds off our feet, clothing, and equipment, we stop harmful invasive plants, insects, and diseases from infesting these special areas. Many of our parks and natural spaces are experiencing record numbers of visitors, so these community boot brush stations are a small step to help provide new ways to prevent the spread of invasive species.
A total of ten boot brush stations with invasive species signage will be randomly drawn from eligible entries across Ontario, two in Southern Ontario, two in Central Ontario, two in Northwestern Ontario, two in Northeastern Ontario and two in Eastern Ontario.
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Invasive Species Centre Education And Community Action Microgrants For Ontario Recipients |
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The Invasive Species Centre is pleased to announce the recipients of the Education and Community Action Microgrants for Ontario as part of the Centre’s 10-Year Anniversary celebrations.
24 microgrants of $1,000 each have been awarded to support invasive species education and community action in Ontario.
Thank you to the individuals, groups and organizations that take action to help prevent and manage invasive species.
The Invasive Species Centre would like to thank the following for their support: the Province of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Fund, and the Government of Canada.
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Community of Practice - May 19 Members Meeting |
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The Invasive Species Municipal Community of Practice (CoP) continues to engage municipal and conservation authority representatives (members) to encourage collaboration and conversations about invasive species management through our virtual CoP platform.
If you are a municipal or conservation authority representative and would like to learn more about the CoP, please contact Kristin at [email protected].
The next CoP members meeting takes place May 19th at 11 am featuring the topic 'Managing European gypsy moth within municipalities' with guest presenter David Dutkiewicz, Entomology Technician at the Invasive Species Centre.
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May 25 Webinar - InvaCost 3.0. The Global Synthesis Of The Economic Cost Of Biological Invasions |
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Biological invasions are responsible for substantial biodiversity declines, including huge economic losses and management expenditures.
Efficiently mitigating this major driver of global change requires the improvement of public awareness and policy regarding its substantial impacts on our socio-ecosystems.
Liliana Ballesteros will introduce webinar attendees to InvaCost, the most up-to-date, comprehensive, harmonized, and robust compilation and description of economic cost estimates associated with biological invasions worldwide.
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22nd International Conference On Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) Call For Abstracts |
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The theme of ICAIS 2022 is Global Climate Change Amplifies Aquatic Invasive Species Impacts, to demonstrate the interconnectedness of global invasive species issues, and inspire international collaboration on research projects at a global scale.
The ICAIS Technical Program Committee invites the submission of 300-word abstracts for oral and poster presentations addressing invasive species issues in freshwater, marine and estuarine environments.
For more information on the topics to be addressed during ICAIS 2022 visit www.icais.org. The abstract submission deadline is September 30, 2021.
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Ontario Invasive Species Forum |
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The Invasive Species Centre hosted the Ontario Invasive Species Forum March 1-4, 2021.
The Forum provided an opportunity for invasive species partners, stakeholders and practitioners across Ontario to come together and share information on the status of invasive species management.
Missed the Forum? Session recordings are now available!
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Invasive Species Awareness Week |
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Invasive Species Awareness Week is an annual collaborative campaign that focuses on sharing information about invasive species pathways, prevention, and management.
The 2021 campaign took place February 22 – 26, 2021 on a number of digital platforms, including social media. Overall, the campaign earned more than 800,000 impressions/mentions on social media and web pages across North America!
Thanks for joining the #InvSpWk conversation.
The second Invasive Species Awareness Week in 2021 takes place the week of May 17th. It will encourage partners and community members to take action through specific steps that stop the spread of invasive species.
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Invasive Species Webinars |
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The Invasive Species Centre collaborates with experts in the field of invasive species management, prevention, and monitoring to discuss different topics each month.
Check out these and other past webinars:
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Invasive Species Centre Careers |
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The Invasive Species Centre would like to welcome Derissa Vincentini in the role of Community Action Leader, and Michael Rogers in the role of Invasive Species Specialist.
Derissa is a born and raised Saultite, who completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Algoma University along with a Certificate in Geomatics. Throughout the last several years Derissa has held many positions, from technician to biologist with the OMNRF and NRCan, as well as, working part time as the Administrator with the Algoma Highlands Conservancy and as a Server/Health and Safety Co-Chair for OutSpoken Brewing. With the little spare time she has between her jobs, Derissa can either be found doing a DIY project/craft or galivanting somewhere in the outdoors.
Michael grew up around Barrie before attending the University of Western Ontario to complete an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Chemistry. He completed a research-based Master’s at The University of Guelph while studying grassland resilience to invasion. Michael has continued to grow by developing a focus in data visualization, technical writing, and science communication. He will rely on his interdisciplinary background to support ISC work. Michael is a passionate educator, applying himself as both a Teaching Assistant and as a high school football coach.
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The Invasive Species Centre Is Hiring |
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The Invasive Species Centre is a not-for-profit organization established by the Ontario and Canadian Governments to coordinate projects and connect stakeholders, knowledge and technology to prevent and reduce the spread of invasive species that harm Canada’s environment, economy and society. The Invasive Species Centre was created as a model of public and government cooperation and collaboration in response to invasive species.
We recruit individuals who are passionate about protecting Canada’s land and water from invasive species and who like working on an upbeat and fast-paced team. The Invasive Species Centre is an equal opportunity and accessible employer. Click the link below to view current job postings - the deadline to apply for these positions is Monday May 10th.
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