Today is the UN’s International Day for Biological Diversity. Invasive species have hit us pretty hard in Canada, from the forest-decimating efforts of the mountain pine beetle, emerald ash borer and Asian long-horned beetle to the the invasion of zebra mussels and the round gobi in the Great Lakes. These invaders don’t have natural predators, so they usually thrive in new locales, displacing the native population.
What can you do to help stop the spread of invasive species? Being careful of the materials you move from one area to another, particularly when on cottaging, camping and fishing trips, is key.
- Insects are easily transported on firewood, so don’t take wood from one area to another unless it has been kiln dried
- Insects and fungi can ride along with bulbs and greenery shipped overseas, so buy locally grown plants
- Pull out invasive plants, such as purple loosestrife and English Ivy, which displace native plants and disrupt entire ecosystems
- Try to grow native plants in your garden, and avoid any invasive species that tends to spread. For a directory of native and non-native plants in Canada, consult the Evergreen Native Plants database.
- Clean off the bottom of your boat before launching it a new waterway
- Gone fishing? Don’t use the round gobi as bait
For more background on invasive species, consult this guide from Hinterland Who’s Who.
