Not Welcome Here
Local Conservation Authority Aims to Protect Region From Invasive Plants
If you’ve lived in Thunder Bay long enough, you’ve probably fallen for the timeless allure of “lake life.” Not only does the abundance of shoreline in Northwestern Ontario provide beautiful vistas, it’s critical to wildlife and the region’s biodiversity, says the local conservation authority.
Jessie McFadden, a watershed stewardship technician at the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (LRCA), explains that the area known as the riparian zone, which is the 10 to 15 metres between shore and land, is crucial for all walks of life. “A large percentage of wildlife depend on immediate buffers next to the water in some way, either to find food, drink, or shelter,” McFadden says. “They need the connective habitat along these waterways to support wildlife and our native plants.”
The biggest threats to the beloved riparian zone are none other than invasive plant species. These unwelcome guests take up the space that native plants have adapted to, and then take over. “Invasive species have evolved mechanisms that allow them to spread readily, adapt quickly, and give them an advantage over our native species,” McFadden says.
The most common examples in Northwestern Ontario include garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, and canary grass, among others. McFadden explains how a buzzkill in the bushes, like invasive phragmites, can disrupt the harmony of our ecosystem. “Once they are established it’s just this tall, dense grass that provides little to no wildlife habitat value,” she says. “It’s not really providing shelter for plants, it’s not really providing a whole lot of food for animals, and it’s taking away space for all those other plants that would normally feed, provide shelter for, and sustain the other critters that live in an ecosystem.”
To combat this, the LRCA is developing the Superior Stewards initiative to help property owners fight the good fight against these species. The new program aims to offer resources and tools to anyone interested. “The number one thing you can do to address invasive species in your yard is to diversify your own backyard with native plants,” McFadden says. Willows, dogwoods, sweet gale—these are just some examples that will offer less opportunity for invasive species to take root.
The stewardship program also encourages citizens with lakefront property to not mow their lawn to the water’s edge. “We’re encouraging the native plants that are likely already there to grow. Adding that buffer between the lake and the backyard is like mimicking the riparian zone.”
Additional information regarding stewardship and the reporting of invasive species can be done through the LRCA website at lakeheadca.com.