FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 18, 2014
Queen’s Park – During an Ontario Legislature speech on the Invasive Species Act – Bill 167 – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett reminded homeowners that not all invasive species are aquatic.
Now that winter has finally broken and gardeners are beginning to think about planting, Barrett brought up the issue of terrestrial invasive species. During his speech, he mentioned the threat from garlic mustard and phragmites.
“If you drive down Highway 402, going west of London, you’ll see nothing but phragmites on Ontario government MTO property, from there right down to the Michigan border and further south, down towards Amherstburg and that way,” he said in the Legislature. “I know there is a call certainly from my riding to have phragmites declared a noxious weed; that may be one approach that we could take.”
Not all non-native plants and animals are invasive. To be invasive, an exotic species must have the potential to displace native species. Barrett raised the implications of invasive ornamental plants, such as periwinkle, many people have in their flower gardens and said input should be sought from retail greenhouse and ornamental tree nurseries before government takes this legislation further.
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For more information contact
MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446