Winnipeg, MB (May 19, 2020) - Many Canadians are itching to get outdoors after weeks of COVID-19 self-isolation and a lengthy winter. Some are able to in provinces where restrictions have been lifted, while others remain close to home.
Larry Wegner, MFGA chair, suggests that with more of us spending time at home and taking short walks in local parks and along country roads, now is an ideal time to learn to identify and report invasive plants in our communities.
Manitoba's native prairies are a precious resource - they sustain incredible biodiversity, including dozens of endangered species, while also supporting critical grazing and haying lands that farm families depend upon.
Spring is also an ideal time to audit your backyard for invasive species. Several species that are known to spread from backyards and farmyards into nearby natural areas. Property owners can play an important role in reducing the spread of these species by removing them from their properties.
People can help by reporting sightings which contributes to early detection. Canadians of all ages and levels of experience can join in the effort to stem the spread of invasive species by downloading the iNaturalist phone app (iNaturalist.ca) and uploading photos to help scientists and government agencies identify the species and monitor their spread.
Many invasive species on grasslands and pastures, such as leafy spurge, have few natural predators to control them. Once they get into ecosystems, they're often able to rapidly spread and can negatively impact our native plants and animals.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association have joined forces to develop a list of the 'top 5' invasive plants and species that could be in your backyard and that represent a threat to Manitoba's native prairies.
Quotes
Rebekah Neufeld, Acting Science Manager, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Manitoba Region: "Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. Some can impact an ecosystem's ability to function not only as habitat for wildlife and species at risk, but also as important resources for livestock production, pollination services and resilient buffers against flooding and drought. By learning about invasive species, and contributing to efforts to understand and prevent their spread, everyone can help contribute to protecting Manitoba's amazing prairies and grasslands."
Larry Wegner, MFGA chair: "Invasive plants are not a just a ranch or on-farm problem. They are something all people must learn more about and better understand the biodiversity issues caused and economic impacts to all of us. Everyone is responsible from those using public trails in towns, cities, rural municipalities to private landowners and the farmers and ranchers who have access and work these lands on a daily basis. We need to be more vigilant as a group to help limit the spread of these plants."
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation's leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres), coast to coast to coast. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca.
Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association's vision is vibrant grasslands and prosperous forage crops on Manitoba's agricultural lands. Our mission is to promote the economic prosperity and environmental benefits of forages, grasslands, cover crops and healthy soils to benefit our forage and grassland producers, local communities and society. To learn more, visit mfga.net.
