Diario del proyecto Invasive Species in Nova Scotia

Archivos de diario de abril 2022

26 de abril de 2022

Woodland Angelica

With summer fast approaching, more invasive plant species are popping up. One species that has become quite common is Woodland Angelica. This invasive plant is a large biennial member of the carrot family, growing 1-2 m tall and flowering from July to September. Its leaves are pinnately compound and leaf-sheaths are enlarged. Leaflets are ovate and often lobed, with toothed margins. Flowers are small, fragrant, white to pale-lilac, and borne in an umbel (umbrella) formation on thick bamboo-like stalks with purplish joints. It is known to be a prolific seed producer.

Woodland Angelica usually grows in open areas with damp soil including ditches, hedgerows, marshes, fields, and woodlands. It is tolerant of full sunlight, full shade, and drought, but not usually tolerant to acidic conditions. It can dominate disturbed habitats due to its prolific seed production and ability to shade out competitors. It is strongly attractive to pollinators and may divert them from using native species. The sap of Woodland Angelica contains chemicals which can cause rashes and burns when in contact with human skin.

If you identify Woodland Angelica on your property, physically remove first year plants and cut the seed heads of second year plants to stop the spread. It is recommended to wear gloves, work on cloudy days, and wash thoroughly after handling to avoid burns and rashes. Do not compost or burn plant or plant parts, instead double bag them and let them rot in the sun before discarding.

Woodland Angelica was first introduced to North America by French settlers in the 1600s or 1700s, and now grows over much of Nova Scotia. Woodland Angelica is commonly mistaken for Giant Hogweed, another invasive plant that causes severe burns when its sap comes in contact with human skin.
You can report Woodland Angelica here on our iNaturalist project, or on our website.

Publicado el abril 26, 2022 04:22 TARDE por jgilice1 jgilice1 | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

28 de abril de 2022

Invasive Species Data Quest

Invasive species are plants, animals and micro-organisms that have been accidentally or deliberately introduced into areas beyond their native range. Invasive species pose the second greatest threat to biodiversity in the world. Natural areas such as forests, wetlands and lakes provide many ecosystem services and benefits. Natural areas provide food and shelter for wildlife, can remove pollutants from air and water, produce oxygen and provide valuable educational and recreational opportunities. Invasive species pose a significant threat to these natural areas, and once established they are costly and difficult to eradicate and can often cause irreversible damage to local ecosystems.

The reporting and mapping of invasive species plays an important role in understanding where species have spread to, when new species have been introduced, and which species are established near species at risk. We rely on citizen scientists to help with the reporting and mapping of invasive species, and this is where you can help by participating in the City Nature Challenge! The Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council has prepared two Data Quests for the 2022 City Nature Challenge: one for invasive plants and one for bird and prey observations.

Data Quest 1: Invasive Plants.
Data on invasive plants can be collected by walking in a park, on a trail, at the beach and even by simply walking down the street. Can you find any invasive plants in your neighborhood? If you can, the best pictures can be taken of individual leaves, flowers and stems, and a picture of the whole plant. If you need help figuring out which plants are invasive, you can look at plants that have already been reported to the NSISC iNaturalist project, or you can visit our website: https://nsinvasives.ca/fact-sheets/

Data Quest 2: Bird photographers.
We are challenging bird photographers to post two photos- one photo of the bird and a second photo of its prey. Some invasive prey you can look for are European green crabs, Chinese mystery snail and smallmouth bass. Pictures of prey will help us determine whether our native birds are consuming invasive species.

Remember to Play Clean Go while you are participating in this years City Nature Challenge; clean any plants and insects off your clothing and gear when entering and leaving an area to stop invasive species from spreading. You can learn more about our Play Clean Go program here: https://nsinvasives.ca/play-clean-go/

Good luck!

Publicado el abril 28, 2022 03:01 TARDE por jgilice1 jgilice1 | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario