Tag: Invasive Species
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Ecological integrity in southeastern parks
In today’s post, Protected Areas Intern Katelyn Vardy highlights a few of the projects that staff have completed to improve and maintain the ecological integrity in southeastern parks. When you’re standing in a favourite nature spot or within a park, it’s easy to embrace the beauty and calmness that surrounds you. While campers and day…
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Be an invasive species fighter! Clean, drain, dry your boat
Today’s post comes from our friends at the Invasive Species Centre. Ontario is home to wonderful lakes, rivers and streams. Unfortunately, some of these waterways are home to aquatic invasive species such as Zebra or Quagga Mussels. These species can be spread from one waterbody to another through watercraft that have not been properly cleaned, drained…
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6 ways to be the best park neighbour
Provincial parks are not islands. Well, some of them are. What we mean is: there is no invisible wall around parks limiting their relationships with the outside world. Even if you never visit a park, you benefit from the pollinator diversity they protect, the CO2 they sequester in wood, roots, and peat, and the clean…
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The very hungry caterpillars
Note: this blog is about the non-native, highly invasive moth species Lymantria dispar dispar, which we have previously referred to as the Gypsy Moth or by the acronym LDD. In this article, we will refer to the moth using its new common name, Spongy Moth. If you’ve seen an Ontario oak tree recently, you’ve likely…
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Why is that a rule?
Excessive noise. Transporting firewood. Have you ever wondered why certain rules exist? Thought, research, and science go into the laws and policies that cover provincial parks and conservation reserves. And it helps to understand the rationale. Today, we’re sharing the logic behind a few of the rules our visitors ask us about most frequently:
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A wriggling invasion
We’d like to highlight one of the greatest threats to Ontario’s natural soil systems – earthworms! Yes, you read that correctly. Many of us have a hard time picturing earthworms as a destructive force. After all, who hasn’t been told that they’re natural composters, food for cheerfully bopping robins in the spring, and great recyclers…
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Invasive species in our parks: what's your role?
In today’s post, Amy Hall, a resource management group leader, gets us up to speed on invasive species, and shares some of the great prevention work happening at Pinery Provincial Park. It’s Invasive Species Awareness Week! No matter what role you play in parks, you are an essential part of preventing the spread of invasive…
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Changing landscapes at Killbear Provincial Park
Today’s post comes from Isabelle Moy, a Discovery naturalist at Killbear Provincial Park. As many faithful Killbear campers will remember, seven years ago our camping landscape changed dramatically with the felling of many American Beech trees due to Beech Bark Disease. Unfortunately, Killbear has again been infested by an invasive species.
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EDDMapS: report your invasive species sightings
Today’s post comes from our friends at the Invasive Species Centre. Outdoor adventurers: we need your help. Invasive species are infiltrating our parks and protected areas, but if we don’t know where they are, it’s tough to stop their spread. Become an Invasive Species Fighter by reporting any suspected sightings of invasive species!