FOCA A.G.M. & Spring Seminar – March 3, 2018 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program
FOCA A.G.M. & Spring Seminar – March 3, 2018 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program A presentation of Association successes, featuring: Barbara Karthein – President, Scugog Lake Stewards Mike Mitchell – President, Eagle Lake Conservation Assoc. Heather Sargeant - Communications Director of Georgian Bay Forever, reporting for the Honey Harbour Association Introduced by: Deanna Panitz FOCA Membership & Programs Coordinator
FOCA A.G.M. 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program Barbara Karthein - President Scugog Lake Stewards https://scugoglakestewards.com/
Scugog Lake Stewards Inc. 84 Water Street, Port Perry, ON. Lindsay Port Perry LAKE SCUGOG - 68 sq. km., 172 km. shoreline, average depth 1.4 m.
Hybrid Eurasian watermilfoil Curly leaf pondweed Starry stonewort
FOCA A.G.M. 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program Mike Mitchell - President Eagle Lake Conservation Association www.eaglelakeconservationassociation.com
EAGLE LAKE CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION INVASIVE PHRAGMITES
IN INVASIV IVE PHRAGMITES • EUROPEAN COMMON REED – PERENNIAL GRASS • “WORST” INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN CANADA • ROADSIDES, DITCHES, SHORELINES & WETLANDS • HAS INUNDATED LARGE TRACTS OF SOURTHERN ONTARIO • NO NATURAL CONTROLS
METHODS OF SPREADING • REPRODUCTION • ROOTS VIA RHIZOMES • SEEDS (2,000 PER POD) • STOLON FRAGMENT • NATURAL DISPERSAL – WATER, AIR, ANIMALS HUMAN ACTIVITIES - HORTICULTURAL TRADE - EQUIPMENT- VEHICLES, BOATS, TRAILERS, OTHER WATERCRAFT - IMPROPER CONTROL ACTIVITIES
PHRAGMITES ON EAGLE LAKE • WELL ESTABLISHED FOR YEARS • NOT RECOGNIZED UNTIL 2017 • ESTABLISHED AT OVER 20 SITES • EXTREMELY DENSE AT MANY LOCATIONS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE LAKE • UNLESS CONTROLLED, WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND SPREAD
IN INITIAL PROBLEM • IDENTIFIED BY LOCAL RESIDENT • SITE OF PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH • MUNICIPAL PROPERTY • MISCATEGORIZED AS NATIVE SPECIES BY MNR • ELCA OBTAINED THREE PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS • MUNICIPALITY UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THAT THEY ARE INVASIVE • STALEMATE
FIRST STEPS TO RESOLUTION • FOCA PROVIDES FUNDING FOR AN ON SITE STUDY • ACQUATIC ECOLOGIST VISITS THE LAKE • SEVEN SITES EXAMINED • FORMAL REPORT ISSUED • PHRAGMITES IDENTIFIED AS INVASIVE • MANAGEMENT METHODS DESCRIBED • NEXT STEPS OUTLINED
CURRENT SIT ITUATION • ELCA & MACHAR TWP PARTNERING • FIRST STEP – PUBLIC EDUCATION • CO-HOSTING A SEMINAR ON APRIL 28 TH • INVITE ATTENDANCE FROM THROUGHOUT AREA • INFORMATION ON WEBSITES • ARTICLES IN NEWSLETTERS • LOCAL MEDIA DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT CONTROL PROGRAM • FOCUS ON SUPERVISED CUTTING & DISPOSAL
MAIN REFERENCE • INVASIVE PHRAGMITES – BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES • ONTARIO MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES • FOCA – PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO • Ontario.ca/invasive species
FOCA A.G.M. 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program Heather Sargeant – Communications Director Georgian Bay Forever/Honey Harbour Association http://www.honeyharbour.on.ca/ https://georgianbayforever.org/
Honey Harbour Takes On Invasive Phragmites
Damages infrastructure and costs taxpayers. Threatens biodiversity and habitat. Wetland becomes one invasive plant wall.
Phragmites: High impact to Honey Harbour shorelines Photo Credits: Kristin Koetsier, Kathryn Davis, Heather Sargeant,
What can be learned from Honey Harbour’s successes with phragbusting?
It’s hard work, but it works This one stand took 8 BEFORE volunteers 6+ hours, mostly in the water to cut, haul, and take DURING away, organize BUT # of stands outmatched volunteer AFTER efforts …..
Benefits of the Program Determine scope of the problem • Mapping Increased training and education • Door to door (dock-to-dock), Plan development and prioritization • Identify large stands which need extra HH&GBF hired students with residents help Community cut help • Help set up group cuts • Bring power cutters Result: Exponential increase in stands managed and cut!
North Side After Gas powered cutters
North Bay/ South Bay 154 sites identified 4 treated in 2015 40 treated in 2016 71 sites treated in 2017
Empowered Community Increased Connection • 49 families and friends from Honey Harbour cut Phrag on their shorelines • 32 families and friends volunteered EXTRA efforts to remove Phragmites from neighbours’ shorelines. • Local businesses - White Contracting & Barging and Big Red Works Inc., A&A Services and Marine Contracting Ltd donated barges. • Student ambassadors Kristin Koetsier and Conor Sweetnam worked to reach and engage more than 73% of property owners • Partnerships - Honey Harbour Association, Georgian Bay Forever, The Township of Georgian Bay, and FOCA provided financial and resource support. • Leadership – Honey Harbour Association Director Kathryn Davis and Georgian Bay Forever trained and supervised the 2017 Honey Harbour Phragmites program.
Summary Be vigilant about Phragmites Early Detection and Rapid Response is much easier and less costly. Identification tips at gbf.org “Selective” cut technique for Kathryn Davis – take leadership coastlines. Find it at gbf.org (No approved herbicide for over water use) Determine the scope in your community so you can make a plan, with partners, to resource for success
Questions? Heather Sargeant heather.sargeant@gbf.org www.gbf.org Kathryn Davis kathrdavis@gmail.com www.honeyharbour.on.ca Photo Credit: David Sweetnam
FOCA A.G.M. 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species Program Thank You!
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