27/03/2025
27/03/2025
This month’s journal entry is brought to you by Kat Forbes, Bruce Trail Conservancy Conservation Technician:
On a brisk autumn day, you can see an array of colours in the falling leaves, as the trees grow bare in preparation for winter. You may also notice some trees with green leaves, and dark coloured berries that birds seem to rarely touch. This is a Buckthorn tree, an invasive species that can be found in many sections of the trail. Invasive species are non-native species that cause harm to the environment, economy, or society. In the case of Buckthorn, it originates from Europe, takes up valuable resources that other native plants need, and the berries are a laxative to birds (thus tend to remain uneaten even as the weather gets cold).
The first step in dealing with invasive species is prevention. By preventing invasive species from spreading in the first place, we are better able to protect our environment, and save a lot of time, money, and effort on eradication. On the trail, these are a few of the things that you can do to prevent spreading invasive species: • Brush off your boots on boot brush stations • Brush off clothing and pets to remove any seeds • Don’t move firewood from one place to another (buy local instead and check for egg masses that may be on the logs) • Check tires, truck beds, and gear for potential stowaway invasive insects/eggs (e.g. Spotted Lanternfly) • Stay on marked trails Aiding in invasive species prevention doesn’t end with the trail though – there are things that you can do at home or during other activities too! Some of these include: • Plant native species in your garden and ponds • Wash off boats and empty ballasts before moving locations • Get rid of live bait (even if dead) on land, far away from waterways • Do not flush dead pets down drains (goldfish are highly invasive carp that have populated our waterways through this method)
By preventing invasive species from entering the ecosystem in the first place, a lot of trouble can be saved. There are many invasive species that have already arrived and are thriving though, bringing us to how iNaturalist can be used as a tool for invasive species monitoring. If you find an invasive species on the trail, or at home, you can record it on iNaturalist by taking a photo and uploading it. This helps scientists monitor invasive species and how they are moving across a landscape. Certain species such as Spotted Lanternfly and Tree-of-Heaven are of particular interest to invasive monitoring bodies such as the Invasive Species Centre, which provides training and information on best management practices for invasive species in Canada. Through their website, you are able to find information on how to identify and best deal with invasive species you may find at home. If you want to help with invasive species control on the trail, or with other local organizations, watch for events such as pull parties, and be sure to record sightings of invasive species along the trail. When reporting invasives along the trail, consider adding an approximate patch size to the note section when uploading (eg. “5m patch of Garlic Mustard along trail edge”). Some of the invasive species we would appreciate being reported along the Bruce Trail include: • Garlic Mustard • Common Buckthorn • Multiflora Rose • Dog-Strangling Vine • Goutweed • Wild Parsnip/Giant Hogweed • Phragmites • English Ivy Add sightings of these invasive species along the trail to the Bruce Trail Conservancy project to aid us in managing invasive species along our ribbon of wilderness.
Find out more here: https://inaturalist.ca/projects/bruce-trail-conservancy/journal/100983-invasive-species-management-how-to-help-at-home-and-along-the-trail