Walking along a roadside you notice some pretty flowers and plants. Do you know if these flowers or plants are indigenous to your area? Many of us do not. In fact I have a neighbour who transplanted invasive plants in her yard, only to be visited by the local government’s inspector asking her to pull them, or the city would charge her for their work.
Canada’s waterways, lakes and rivers have unwelcome visitors from other places, invasive plants and animals competing with our indigenous homeland species. Some species are threatened by the overpopulation of these invasive species.
Asian Swamp eels, Asian Grass Carp, Zebra Mussels, Marbled Crayfish, White River Catfish and numerous Insects and other species are transported to Canada through large Ships emptying their ballasts into the Great Lakes. Garlic Mustard, Buckthorns, and Dog Strangling Vines along with many other species appear unthreatening but can spread disease while competing for moisture and soil among our domestic species. Further noxious weeds make the evolutionary cycle precarious.
A few Noxious Weeds (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs).
Dodder & Knapweed
Black Dog Strangling Vine
European Buckthorn & Common Barberry
Cyrus Spurge & Kudza
Leafy Spurge & Poison Ivy
Ragweed, Poison Hemlock & Wild Parsnip
Wild Chervil & Smooth Bedstraw
Ontario’s Weed Control Act requires property owners to control the Fauna & Flora on their properties. If they do not the act will require local governments to act and manage these species at a cost to the property owner(Farm View).
Invasive Species are responsible for 2-3rds of the extinctions in The Caribbean. The Caribbean’s biodiversity is badly challenged, as its bird, reptiles, fish stocks and domestic plans are besieged by threats from elsewhere. The Saba Green Iguana is a threat, as are African Snails, Lionfish and rats. Globalization has brought Asia, Africa and other Continents to the Caribbean, and the Caribbean is totally unprepared for this invasion. Even the Caribbean’s most iconic creature, its Turtles is threatened by climate change and foreign predators.
The environment is struggling with the effects of Climate Change, droughts, wind storms and flooding, forest fires and the destruction of wildlife habitat everywhere. The challenges faced by Man and Beast alike seem overwhelming and highly expensive too. Will our governments be willing to fully fund those necessary projects to protect all that is within our environment, passing laws that protect and regulate the management of our endangered environment? Will they be willing to find such management projects?
The farming community is acting to inform and challenge their membership in this struggle, managing their farming methods, livestock and soil rotation. Communities adopt marshlands and rivers within their regions. Intentions may not be enough. Invasive Species continue to expand their territories, engulfing our domestic species at an escalating rate. Only the education of students, the public and Industry can initiate and establish enduring programs with the government and scientific community’s direction and leadership.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
[email protected]
