The PEIISC is hosting its 3rd annual workshop on Friday, March 16 from 1-4 at the Farm Centre on University Avenue. Everyone from all walks of life, sectors and parts of the Island are encouraged to attend! The meeting will include an educational expo and presentation series, featuring a variety of
The 2017 PEIISC Annual Meeting is coming up on March 24th! We will have a full list of speakers and educational booths available shortly.
This weekly Wednesday post is from PEIISC member and Stewardship Coordinator at Island Nature Trust, Julie-Lynn Zahavich. This week, Julie-Lynn will share her experience with a common horticultural invasive, Creeping Bellflower. Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) is an ornamental plant
This week's post is by Beth Hoar, Chair of PEIISC and Parkland Conservationist for the City of Charlottetown. There are many reasons to value our urban forests. They provide economic, social and environmental benefits such as filtering pollutants from our air and water, preventing soil erosion and
This week, Rosemary Curley, Biologist, President of Nature PEI and member of PEIISC, brings you some news on the Spiders of PEI project! The numbers of exotic spiders are now tabulated for Prince Edward Island. Fully 19 of 197 known species have arrived from elsewhere, and of this 9.6 %, seven of
This week's post is from Linda Thomas, Resource Management Officer, PEI National Parks and PEI Invasvie Species Council member. Welcome to the fall season, we have had a busy summer with invasive species in PEI National Park and have started to look at our results. More details later. In PEI Nation
From Julie-Lynn Zahavich, Stewardship Coordinator at Island Nature Trust: Every summer, staff from Island Nature Trust work to control a persistent population of purple loosestrife at Deroche Pond. Deroche Pond is a large pond that lies behind Blooming Point Beach, a popular summer haunt for many
This weeks Facebook post is by Beth Hoar, Chair of PEIISC and City of Charlottetown's Parkland Conservationist Have you been seeing a lot more of these guys this year???? It's the beautiful but notorious Japanese beetle! We certainly have be seeing a lot of them around Charlottetown. They have b
This weeks post and photos are from Rosemary Curley, PEIISC Council Member. Wild cucumber is spreading rapidly in cental Prince Edward Island, probably under the influence of warmer weather. Trees and shrubs that are blanketed by wild cucumber will be weakened, and some will not survive. Here is
Todays post is by Jennifer Cameron, PEIISC Council member and Regional Plant Protection Officer, Canadian Food Inspection Agency / Government of Canada Asian Gypsy Moth The European strain of Gypsy Moth has become established in many parts of eastern North America, but did you know there is a
A Curiously Shady Character: Bittersweet Nightshade An ominous name to begin with, this perennial vine is seen throughout Prince Edward Island. This little beast has a number of names, including climbing nightshade, and thrives in a wide variety of habitats; however, it loves to grow around strea
The Wrong Kind of Gardening Legacy Late in July this year, PEI Invasive Species Council member Megan Harris got a call from one of her neighbours in St. Catherine’s. He was convinced he had a rogue giant hogweed plant growing along the edge of his driveway. Megan wasn’t convinced until he said
European Pine Shoot Moth Rhyacionia buoliana Article by David Carmichael,P.E.I. Department of Communities, Land and Environment and PEIISC Council member Background information: This pest was first recorded in New York State in 1914 and has since spread to many areas in southern Canada. Prefer
This week's post is from Linda Thomas, Resource Management Officer at PEI National Park. Summer seems to be flying by, we are concentrating on managing our five targeted invasive plant species here in PEI National Park. We have finished with garlic mustard and Japanese knotweed for this year, curre
This weeks post is from Council member, Karen Samis, Assistant Professor, UPEI Biology Department This week, I thought we could focus on the Top 10 Invasive and Horticultural Plants Across Canada. Although I love to see diversity in a garden as much as anyone, we need to be careful to ensure the pl
Post by PEIISC Member and Kensington North Watersheds Association Executive Director, Barry Murray Norway Maples are fast growing trees that are very popular in urban areas. Their good shape, quick growth and tolerance to exposure make them favourites on lawns and around buildings. They in fact h
Campers... and invasive hitchhikers! Post by PEIISC Council member Jennifer Cameron With the warmer (?) weather everyone wants to be outside, and for many people that includes loading up the vehicles to go camping. But many invasive pests can hitch a ride to the campground with you. Campgrounds
Tis the Season! It’s the most wonderful time of the year…gardening season! With it comes beautiful flower beds, gardens and baskets, but it also means learning to identify invasive species when purchasing your lovely greenery and flowers. There are several known invasive species sold across Can
Seed Bombs - Post by Beth Hoar, PEIISC "A seed bomb is a little ball made up of a combination of compost, clay and seeds." The seed bombs are then dropped in places that need to be re-vegetated or beautified. Historically, seed bombs have been around since the 1930's and have been used to distribu
Our weekly Wednesday post is from council member, Kelley Farrar (Arnold), watershed coordinator for the Stratford Area Watershed Group. This week’s topic: “Spring Creep”! Once this polar vortex is out of our way, spring will (hopefully!) be well on its way. With the warming temperatures come
Our weekly Wednesday post is from council member, Kelley Farrar (Arnold), watershed coordinator for the Stratford Area Watershed Group. This week’s topic: “Spring Creep”! Once this polar vortex is out of our way, spring will (hopefully!) be well on its way. With the warming temperatures come
This weekly Wednesday post is from council member, David Carmichael. David is a Landscape Technician with PEI’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Today’s topic is European larch canker. European larch canker, caused by the fungus Lachnellula willkommii, is a serious disease in many part
Jana, our Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) representative, sent along this story today from Conservator, DUC's magazine. The article is from Ontario but there are known populations of phragmites on PEI too. LINK: http://www.conservator.ca/2015/10/fighting-the-mighty-phragmites/ At our first annual
This Wednesday we hear from PEIISC Chair and gardener, Beth Hoar. I am an avid gardener. I love plants (especially ferns) and plant a mix of native and non-native species. My favorite activity is spending time in my yard, both working in my perennial beds, planting new trees and shrubs or just
Issue 2 of the Spotter's Network Newsletter is now available online! To read the latest issue, click here.
With the recent warm weather, many Islanders are starting to think about spring. With spring comes new growth of grass, leaves, flowers, and invasive species! So, while spring is on the brain, we thought we would take this opportunity to remind everyone of our Spotter’s Network Program. The PEI I
This summer, if you see damage to the leaves, buds and flowers of your lilies, you may have an infestation of lily leaf beetles. The lily leaf beetle loves to feed on Lilium sp. (true lilies: Turk’s cap, Tiger, Easter, Asiatic and Oriental lilies) and Fritillaria sp.; have been known to feed on S
This week, we hear from retired wildlife biologist and President of Nature PEI, Rosemary Curley, on a project she worked on in 2015 to improve our knowledge of Island spiders. From the Nature PEI website, “Shaking the Bushes for PEI Spiders” published July 29, 2015: “Few share a fascination
January 29, 2016: Thank you to all of the Island watershed group coordinators and representatives that attended our round table discussion this morning! It was fantastic to meet, share ideas, and discuss how we can move forward together on tackling invasive species on PEI. And thank you to our fund
Watershed organizations are a 'logical group to reach out to,' says invasive species council The province's watershed groups will come together Friday to discuss the challenges they face when working with invasive species. Hosted by the PEI Invasive Species Council (PEIISC) with funding from t
Today, PEIISC member and Plant Protection Program Officer with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Jennifer Cameron, fills us in on a major pathway for invasive species – wood packaging material. WOOD PACKAGING - A PATHWAY FOR INVASION One of the highest-risk pathways for invasion of new forest
If you spend any time in Southeastern PEI during the summer you are likely very familiar with woodland angelica (Angelica sylvestris). This robust plant grows in large swathes, entirely filling ditches along Route 4 from High Bank to Murray River. Woodland angelica has been used for centuries for c
Today we hear from David Carmichael, PEIISC member and Horticulturist with the provincial government, on the Balsam Woolly Adelgid (Adelges piceae). INTRODUCTION The balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae) (BWA) is a tiny, soft-bodied insect which appear, once matured, as white, woolly spots on tru
This week, we hear from retired wildlife biologist, Rosemary Curley, on her work with common reed grass. Common reed grass (Phragmites australis ssp. australis) is an invasive perennial grass that is native to Eurasia. It is not known for certain how it was moved to North America, but it likely a
Michigan State University brings us The Twelve Days of Christmas – aquatic invasive species awareness!
THE STORY OF AN ELM TREE Early in December, a big old American elm tree came down in front of the Agriculture Canada building on University Ave. It was one of over 350 elms that the City of Charlottetown is removing in an attempt to protect the remaining healthy elm from contracting Dutch Elm Disea
This week we hear from our Parks Canada representative, Linda Thomas: It is mid-December and while most of the invasive species are in winter mode, it is important not to let their presence fade too far away in our minds. I would like to take this time to share the wonderful experience Julie-Lynn a
While we are all thinking about how to cook our winter vegetables and swapping cookie recipes with family and friends, I thought it was time to rekindle our creativity in how to tackle invasive species. Here are a few resources and recipes you may want to share with like-minded folks across the coun
“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Invasive plants can be found across PEI. Some occur in small patches, others are widespread. Some we have welcomed (e.g. lupins), others we detest (e.g. Japanese knotweed). While our opinions vary bet
American Beech, Fagus grandifolia Among deciduous trees there is nothing quite as majestic or as graceful as the beech. ~ Donald Wyman, Horticulturist A native tree of PEI… produces edible nuts great for firewood leaves can hang on the tree throughout the winter the smooth bark makes
This fall, the PEIISC has been helping the Provincial Forests, Fish and Wildlife division prepare for the 2015 Envirothon competition! Envirothon is an international environmental education competition for high school students. Through the competition, students get a chance to work with and learn f
Like many Islanders... you might have a snowball bush in your backyard. Have you noticed lots of holes in its leaves? You likely have an infestation of the viburnum leaf beetle (VLB)! This small beetle is native to Europe and Asia and was first found in North America in 1947... in Ontario! The VL
Invasive plants are plant species that can be harmful when introduced into new areas. These species can invade agricultural and natural areas, causing serious damage to Canada's economy and environment. There are over 480 invasive plant species known to exist in Canada of which over 120 species are
Canada thistle is a non-native (despite the English name) perennial weed that originates in Europe. It has sharply-barbed, deeply lobed, spear-like leaves. The flower is a purple pom-pom shape in clusters at the top of the plant (photo). When the seeds are mature, the flower will become white and fl
We have new invasive species identification cards! These are part of our Spotter's Network resource kits and are given out to each volunteer spotter. If you would like to be a spotter, let us know and we can add you name to our ever growing list of volunteers. Email us at peiinvasives@gmail.com
Gail Wallin, the Executive Director of the Invasive Species Council of BC and the Co-chair of the Canadian Council on Invasive Species was on PEI this week and took some time to meet with the PEI Invasive Species council to discuss invasive species issues. Gail brings together decades of experience
Invasive species were in the news again this week. This time council member, Julie-Lynn Zahavich, teamed up with Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group Coordinator, Kelley Arnold, to discuss the two groups’ approaches to monitoring invasives on PEI and why it is important. You can read the ar
Each year in PEI National Park students are hired to assist with the ecological integrity monitoring. The first thing on the summer schedule is invasive species management; specifically garlic mustard which is really hard work and somewhat discouraging. I always wonder if they will come back the nex
This week Karen Samis, Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at UPEI, shares a fascinating story that shows the plasticity of invasives and the organisms that are affected by their introduction. This is not a new story (nor a PEI one), but I think it serves as a good lesson for how careful
This week we look at an avian invasive species, the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). It seems people either love European starlings or hate them. They are admittedly beautiful birds. In the spring their feathers are sleek, black, with a purple-green iridescence, and their bills are yellow. In
Although we posted about wild cucumber earlier, I thought is would be a good time to post again as it is in full bloom and really visible at this time of year. I have been seeing a lot of wild cucumber in my travels. A few areas that stand out are Kensington and Darnley. You will see it in the ditc
Kudzu has just recently been added to the list of officially regulated pest plants for Canada! This means it may not be imported except under strict conditions for research purposes. Kudzu is an extremely invasive vine in the legume family. It will climb over other vegetation and completely cover s
Since our first Spotter’s Network training session in July, we have received an increased number of invasive species reports. We are learning that some of the species that we believed were quite rare are actually more common than we thought. One of those species is Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiol
Here in beautiful Invasive Acres I have only to look around me to find abundant material for this column. I was going to provide an update on my struggle with the buckthorns, but as that would be rather depressing I decided to change the subject. So the subject of this article is Bittersweet Nigh
We hosted our very first Spotter’s Network Training Workshop this morning in Charlottetown. The turnout was excellent – beyond what we expected, which is great! Those who attended learned how to photograph potential invaders, how to identify priority species and how to report their sightings to
Invasive Insect and Disease pests in your firewood can destroy our forests, trees along our streets, parks, businesses and potentially your yard! Purchase firewood locally, burn it on site and leave left over firewood behind! To minimize the risk, the Invasive Species Council of P.E.I. encourages
Now that the weather is improving, it’s time to get out and enjoy our beautiful PEI wetlands and waterways. Did you know that maintaining the hull of your boat and cleaning it regularly, can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species? Aquatic invasive species are non-native plants and a
At last the field season is in full swing in PEI National Park. Our students and I just spent the day picking garlic mustard in the rain at Cavendish Grove. Lots of fun! Soon we will be walking all the trails, campgrounds and other public areas looking for the five species we have targeted; garlic m
You may have noticed that many of the recent posts have been about invasive plants that started out in our yards or gardens. We bring them in, we plant them, or seeds migrate from a neighbour’s garden. Many of the posts encourage you to make wise choices about what to plant, and what not to buy. B
This week’s post is on Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), a climbing vine that is native in Ontario and parts of Quebec. It is not native to PEI and hence – because it will smother trees and shrubs reducing diversity and may harm brick work and masonry, it is certainly not desired a
Jackie Waddell, Council member here. I came into town from the west on my usual commute the other day, and part of my drive was behind and then beside a pick up pulling a flatbed trailer. On that low, open trailer was a load of un-secured Japanese Knotweed - garden waste. Many will know that Japanes
WHAT IS A SPOTTER’S NETWORK? A Spotter’s Network is a network of organizations, professionals and volunteers that are trained in plant ID and submit observations of invasive species to a central database or location. Data collected by spotters can be synthesized, mapped and distributed to the
Scotch broom is an invasive, evergreen shrub that was brought to North America as an ornamental garden plant. It escaped. Many of us love to garden… I do! And many of us grow some perennials that would be considered invasive. We often end up hating these plants because they take over and become a
My property in Central Queen’s has been not-so-affectionately but fairly appropriately nick-named Invasive Acres. And while I am not directly responsible for all the unwelcome species (like the glossy buckthorns), some of them are, well, my fault. Many years ago I was thinking of getting sheep,
A lot of the bird seed that is used to feed wild and domestic birds is contaminated with weed seeds, and is one way that invasive plants can move around. Whether the bird seed is imported or a Canadian product, it could contain seeds of invasive plants. The weed seeds may start to grow in your garde
European or North American gypsy moth, (Lymantria dispar) Gypsy moth was introduced to Northeastern United States in the 1860's and has since spread to several provinces including PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. It is found each year in British Columbia but has not establishe
Characteristics: The emerald ash borer attacks and kills all species of ash, except mountain ash which is not a true ash. With artificial spread, where people move infested ash materials and firewood to new areas, this insect can quickly spread to other areas of Canada. Federal regulatory measures
This Wednesday council member and Head of Habitat Retention and Planning at Ducks Unlimited Atlantic Canada, Jana Cheverie, shares a couple interesting links and information about the work DUC is doing on the Delta Marsh in Manitoba to exclude carp. Carp are a group of an invasive fish species th
Not here yet, but knocking on the door...? Can you imagine the response if you asked an Islander whether we were in need of another source of red water in our rivers and streams? There is an invasive aquatic species that could be just that. And yet, at first glance, the Chinese mitten crab (Erioche
The management and control of invasive plant species occupies a significant part of the PEI National Park Ecological Integrity Management & Protection program. Five plant species are targeted for annual detection surveys and management. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is one of the targeted
An invasive species was making news last week in PEI after the City of Charlottetown announced that it would be removing over 300 elm trees (over half of the elms in the city) from its streetscape. The trees are being removed to prevent the further spread of Dutch Elm Disease. Dutch Elm Disease (
Wild cucumber, (Echinocystis lobata) is this weeks "villain" ...also known as balsam apple, prickly cucumber, wild balsam apple, wild mock cucumber and lace pants, four seeded bur cucumber. It's genus name, derived from Greek words, means hedgehog bladder Wild cucumber is an annual vine that can g
This week council member, Lynne Douglas, shares her personal experience with Glossy Buckthorn. If you have ever walked along the Confederation Trail in PEI you have probably encountered this invader. BATTLING THE BUCKTHORNS: A PERSONAL JOURNEY By Lynne Douglas Many years ago in a land not far
Even though the winter is now upon us, many of us still like to pull on some warmer clothes and get out in nature, whether it is a hike along a favorite trail or strolling the streets of the city or town. Next time you are out for a stroll, wherever it may be, take time to stop and have a look at th
It’s Wednesday - time for another weekly invasive species post! This week, to keep with our gardening theme, we’ll discuss a major pathway for invasive species, garden dumping. Purple Loosestrife is the only invader that is regulated by government on PEI. Importing, propagating and selling purp
Growing groundcovers can be a challenge in an unexpected way! They are usually easy to grow and are intended to suppress the weeds in our gardens – that’s why we like them. But… sometimes they grow a little too well and end up taking over – they can be invasive! Not every groundcover is in
We posted about the Japanese beetle back in August but thought, since it is such a cool beetle and since it might be heading your way sometime in the future... that you might be interested in a bit more information. Japanese Beetle, Popilla japonica “The Japanese beetle is probably the most deva
This weeks post is from Stephanie Compton, Agrologist with the Morell River Management Co-op. The Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) is an Asian vinegar fly, first discovered on the west coast of North America in 2010. By 2011 this tenacious little fruit fly was found as far east as Ontario and in 2012
Yesterday several of our council members attended a workshop at UPEI. The workshop was focused on providing Island intermediate-high school teachers with the information and resources to incorporate the topic of invasive species into science curriculum! Lots of energy and interest on the topic! We'r
This week’s post is from Rosemary Curley. Rosemary was a Conservation Biologist with the PEI government for many years. She is a PEIISC member and also the PEIISC representative for the Canadian Council on Invasive Species (CCIS). Rosemary attended a Weeds Across Borders meeting in Ottawa in Octo
This week’s weekly Wednesday post is from council member, David Carmichael. David is a Landscape Technician with PEI’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The images below are of Oriental Bittersweet (Celastris orbiculatis), which I came across while delivering upon a Forest Pest survey pro
Have you ever gone camping and didn’t use all your firewood at last night’s camp-fire? You think, “I’ll just bring it home and use it next time we go camping”. STOP!! DON’T DO IT. A simple move such as this, could damage or destroy millions of trees. “How?”, you may ask? Well, lurkin
Another weekly post for you! This week, PEIISC member and West River Watershed Coordinator, Megan Harris, takes a look at the risks of not having a plan for Rainbow Trout. I talk to many avid anglers on the Island about getting rid of rainbow trout and they all suggest that I’m being too extreme.
This week, our PEI National Park representative offers some words of encouragement! Don't give up, you can make a difference.... Working with invasive plant species can often seem daunting. I wanted to share these photos as encouragement for those trying to eliminate or control the invasion of som
This week, we thought we would highlight some of the work being done by our council members! Be sure to click on the links! PEI Invasive species experts, and members of the PEIISC are contributing at the national and regional level to management of invasive species. Rosemary Curley is the PEI
This week’s post is on two plants – in the same genus - Impatiens. Something less dramatic than Giant Hogweed, but certainly more widespread. Charlottetown especially is full of this pair – Small-flowered Impatiens, Impatiens parviflora (Small Balsam or Small-flowered Touch-me-not) and Himalay
I think this post is fitting since Halloween is just around the corner! One of the most fearsome invasive plants out there has got to be Giant Hogweed (Heracleum Mantegazzianum). It is indeed a giant, often standing 5 metres tall with an umbrella-shaped flowering portion that can be 1.5 metres acro
The Japanese beetle, native to Japan, attacks the foliage and fruit of more than 250 host plants including elm, maple, grape vine, peach, apple, apricot, cherry, plum, rose, zinnia, corn, asparagus, soybean, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The larva (which looks a lot like the June bug la