Thanks to an investment from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Invasive Species Centre is supporting 112 new projects across Ontario led by municipalities, Indigenous organizations, conservation authorities, community groups, and non-profit organizations on critical invasive species issues through the Invasive Species Action Fund (ISAF).
Invasive species impact lakes, land, forests, and communities, and are the second greatest threat to biodiversity worldwide. Ontario has the highest number of invasive species in Canada, which are responsible for an estimated $3.6 billion dollars of impact each year to forestry, fisheries, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and recreation in the province. They often limit access to outdoor spaces and common recreation such as swimming, boating, and hiking, and in some cases, even pose a risk to human health.
One organization who is tackling this issue in southwestern Ontario is Landscape Ontario.
“The best way to protect Ontario from invasive species is by preventing them from spreading,” said Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources. “That’s why our government is investing $2 million to give communities the tools they need to keep our waterways and forests safe for families across Ontario to enjoy.”
“Managing invasive species is an important commitment that requires action and collaboration at the local level. These projects help protect ecosystems, biodiversity, and the people that rely on them. They build the knowledge, partnerships, and capacity needed to address invasive species into the future,” said Colin Cassin, executive director, Invasive Species Centre.
“Our sector aims to be a leader for environmental and ecological sustainability in the province. The ISAF funding has enabled increased capacity for our sector to address invasive species – both invasive plants and new pests,” said Philip Pieper, Pieper Nurseries, and co-chair of Landscape Ontario’s Growers’ Sector Group.
Since 2021, the Invasive Species Centre has partnered with Ministry of Natural Resources to fund 485 projects across the province that help protect natural spaces from the impacts of invasive species. This round of funding from the Invasive Species Action Fund supports several organizations in southwestern Ontario, including the following:
- City of Cambridge
- Corporation of the County of Grey
- Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy
- Friends of Hullett
- Grey Highlands Secondary School (Bluewater District School Board)
- Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
- Maitland Trail Association
- Ontario Farmland Trust
- Ontario Nature Incorporated
- Rare Charitable Research Reserve
- Ruthven Park National Historic Site
- St Williams Conservation Reserve Community Council
- The Corporation of the City of Sarnia
- Township of Woolwich Environmental Enhancement Committee (TWEEC)
- Waterloo Region Nature Inc.
- The Regional Municipality of Waterloo
- Corporation of Norfolk County
- Long Point Region Conservation Authority
- Walpole Island First Nation
- Grand River Conservation Foundation
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
- Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH)
- Landscape Ontario
To Learn more about the Invasive Species Action Fund, visit www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/grants
