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Alain Belliveau was hired recently by Acadia Univ.’s Biology Dept. as the Museum Curator, replacing the retired Fred Scott. Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. On May 7, 2018, at 11:15 AM, Bev Wigney <bkwigney@gmail.com> wrote: > Note: The second time the aforementioned NS Invasive Species > publication .pdf loaded, it redirected to a version of the file in > which the text was fine -- so that was some weirdo glitch. Seems okay > now. Looking at the credits, it seems like the publication was put > together by the Natural Resources Environmental Technology class of > 2012 under the direction of Alain Belliveau who, in the credits, is > stated as an Ecosystems Researcher at Mersey Tobeatic Research > Institute. Here is the link again for anyone who wishes to view it. > If it appears messed up, try reloading it and you may get the proper > version. > http://www.ap.smu.ca/~lcampbel/NSInvasiveAlienSpeciesGuide.pdf > > Bev Wigney > > On 5/7/18, Bev Wigney <bkwigney@gmail.com> wrote: >> David, >> >> I did some checking around online and didn't find much. I see that >> Fred and Nick have already weighed in on this. Environment Canada's >> rather outdated page about provincial partner programs mentions >> Project U.F.O. at Cape Breton University as "currently the only public >> outreach initiative in Nova Scotia that is focused solely on IAS." I >> tried to find out more about it, but hit dead links and old websites, >> so I don't know if the program is active or even in existence. Maybe >> someone reading this will know more. >> >> I believe that there actually *should* be some part of the provincial >> Ministry of Environment that would be tasked with recording data, >> reporting, identifying, etc.. as here are supposed to be in each >> province. Now, I did find an online publication about invasive >> species in NS -- oddly, there is a PDF file with photos and headers, >> but what appears to be gibberish text as though it is a mock-up for >> something that was in the works at one time -- perhaps someone on here >> will know more about the publication and whether it was ever >> completed(?). >> http://www.ap.smu.ca/~lcampbel/NSInvasiveAlienSpeciesGuide.pdf >> >> Unfortunately, what this puts me in mind of, is my very recent >> enquiries into whether there is some office or even a single living >> person who takes their responsibility seriously, in some part of the >> provincial government -- or some other entitiy -- who is diligently >> reviewing MNR's Harvest Plan Maps to see if there is overlap of >> habitat for Species at Risk with proposed clear-cuts..... like, >> doesn't that seem like something one should do some serious >> back-checking before green-lighting the hacking down large areas of >> forest? This occurred to me after I began studying bird atlas maps >> and overlaying them with proposed tracts for clear-cutting. After >> quite a bit of emailing around, I discovered that it seems that, no, >> there isn't actually anyone who seems to be specifically tasked with >> this duty. However, if one were to know for a fact that there was a >> SAR bird (for argument's sake) with a nest in a place being logged, >> there is a way to report that to some kind of hot line, and presumably >> there will be some follow up. However, otherwise, it seems like >> critical SAR habitat isn't protected and pretty much here for the >> taking. That said, there are qualified people who can make >> recommendations about not harming specific tracts of land if it is >> deemed that is a good idea and they can make a strong enough argument, >> but it sounds like it's not particularly simple or successful. In any >> case, while this is a different matter, basically I'm now left with >> the impression that there may be no one "really" at the wheel >> regarding either invasive alien species, or protection of habitat for >> Species At Risk. Coming from Ontario where at least there are some >> living human entities tasked with such things, and they seem take >> their jobs relatively seriously, it's a bit of a shocker to discover >> that there seems to be little in place here in Nova Scotia -- and that >> we naturalists have probably been sitting here thinking that there is >> actually some intelligent being overseeing the welfare of flora and >> fauna. It's been rather like having Toto tug back the curtain to >> reveal that there's isn't and probably never was a Great Oz here in >> Nova Scotia. >> >> Bev Wigney >> Round Hill >> >> >> On 5/7/18, David Patriquin <David.Patriquin@dal.ca> wrote: >>> 'Lot's of discussion about invasive species... but so far I have no >>> report >>> on the occurrence of dog-strangling vine in NS (other than the one I >>> cited >>> for the Port George area) which is what I wanted to determine.. how >>> common >>> is it here? >>> >>> >>> Also, I wondered if there is a group/gov agency which is actively keeping >>> track of invasives in NS >>> >>> >>> 'Any help on these appreciated >>> >>> >>> ________________________________ >>> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on >>> behalf of Nick Hill <fernhillns@gmail.com> >>> Sent: Saturday, May 5, 2018 4:37 PM >>> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca >>> Subject: Re: Re[2]: [NatureNS] Dog-strangling vine in Nova Scotia >>> >>> Calm...i lived in southeast Kentucky >>> We had kudzu vine that swallowed abandoned houses...crossex roads via >>> phone >>> lines >>> Scary but before we call Jesus and Mary we notice it did not enter intact >>> woodland and was restricted to about 30m from the roaside. >>> We do have a couple of plants that are 9f concern because they do get >>> into >>> fairly intact ecosystems. I'd put glossy buckthorn at the top of the list >>> and then in terms of potential for harm given reports from elsewhere, I'd >>> be >>> concerned about the spread of garlic mustard. >>> >>> Glossy? It's naturalized now and is part of swamps and early forest >>> succession. It's not the end of the world...its green it's a laxative for >>> birds and it fits into a red maple alder tudspuck sedge swamp with no >>> apparent diversity or community function effects. >>> >>> Fight clearcutting and our inability to get any marine protected areas >>> for >>> the eastern shore because we don't want any impingement on rockweed >>> harvest >>> or oil and gas development. >>> >>> Great name! >>> >>> On Sat, May 5, 2018, 1:21 PM David, >>> <dwebster@glinx.com<mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote: >>> Hi Dave P., Bev and all. >>> What an unfortunate name to be saddled with. Just this side of >>> 'wanted dead or alive'. I wish to add to Bev's comments about the >>> abundance of 'invasives'. >>> As a general rule of thumb animals and plants eventually generate >>> conditions which threaten their well being/survival. And those which >>> prevail may do so by "invading" fresh territory which is not loaded with >>> diseases or parasites. >>> Consequently, if something is threatened the best recovery remedy may >>> be to move a starter kit of it elsewhere. Before lighting long distance >>> flame throwers think about this in general terms. What is the better >>> choice 1) act to preserve a flora and fauna which is free of "invasive" >>> species or 2) act to enable survival of species which may be endangered >>> ? >>> Yt, DW. Kentville >>> >>> ------ Original Message ------ >>> From: "Bev Wigney" <bkwigney@gmail.com<mailto:bkwigney@gmail.com>> >>> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> >>> Sent: 5/5/2018 9:35:44 AM >>> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Dog-strangling vine in Nova Scotia >>> >>>> Bad news if Dog-strangling vine (DSV) is here as it is quite a scourge >>>> in eastern Ontario. Everyone struggles to keep it out of their gardens >>>> and it grows rampant on vacant properties or even in woodlands. I was >>>> in Ontario all last summer and went for walks in several places around >>>> Ottawa and found it growing profusely everywhere. Fred Schueler may >>>> comment on the prevalence there and perhaps here as well. Another up >>>> and comer I saw there spreading out from what might have been its >>>> Ground Zero in an abandoned industrial park was Tartarian Maple. >>>> *sigh* >>>> >>>> As for invasive plants, I haven't found that there is much concern >>>> over them here in NS although maybe there is a department that records >>>> such things. I did try to find out about this a few years ago after >>>> taking note of an incredible acreage which was just covered with a >>>> non-native vine -- Wisteria sinensis. I made mention of it here on >>>> NatureNS at the time (summer 2013). It grows rampantly all over the >>>> woods at this property, but also along the roadside and actually up >>>> over the powerlines - smothering everything in its path. I've seen it >>>> spreading out from there, but it seems that is not considered >>>> problematic. At the time, I did some readng up on it and discovered >>>> that just about everywhere, it is considered a serious invasive. >>>> Reminds me of the Japanese Knotweed around here -- growing along Route >>>> 201 and in vacant land in Annapolis Royal. When I first moved here, a >>>> neighbour offered to give me some roots of his "bamboo". He used to >>>> chop it down and toss it into a ravine on his own property and now >>>> it's growing down there. I see a lot of it around Bridgetown next to >>>> the river too. It seems to be everywhere. However, I don't think >>>> there is much concern. The truth is, here around Annapolis Royal, if >>>> all of the particularly invasive, non-native plants (multiflora roses, >>>> goutweed, tansy, knotweed, phragmites, wisteria, etc..) ever >>>> disappeared overnight, their absence would leave something of a >>>> wasteland. I suspect European and Asiatic plants probably outnumber >>>> natives by about 2 to 1. I've found that to be the case with snails >>>> and slugs and to some extent with insects as well, by the way. No >>>> doubt, many of these plants came with the settlers and seem to have >>>> done quite well over the centuries. Definitely has an impact on the >>>> ecology of the area -- less native plant hosts for our native insects >>>> -- and so on. >>>> >>>> Bev Wigney >>>> Round Hill >>>> >>>> On 5/5/18, David Patriquin >>>> <David.Patriquin@dal.ca<mailto:David.Patriquin@dal.ca>> wrote: >>>>> Some discussion about Dog-strangling vine (Cynanchum rossicum & >>>>> Cynanchum >>>>> louiseae) came up in a discussion forum on Woods and Waters Nova >>>>> Scotia; I >>>>> had not heard of it before in NS and cannot find it in any lists of >>>>> invasive >>>>> plants for NS. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> From the discussion forum, from a resident in the Port George area: >>>>> >>>>> "...can see out my window where it starts . my next door neighbours >>>>> bush is >>>>> blanketed . from the tops of his mature spruce to the ground....the >>>>> vines >>>>> next door , that’s where it starts , then it went through our >>>>> blackberry >>>>> field and mostly killed it . now it’s in our woods >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> So I am wondering how common it is now in NS - I would appreciate any >>>>> comments, observations from NatureNS folks >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Another question - is there a group or gov agency in NS that is >>>>> actively >>>>> keeping track of invasive plants? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> At http://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/ its distribution is cited as " >>>>> in >>>>> parts of Ontario, southern Quebec and several American states" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Short description >>>>> >>>>> Dog-strangling vine is found in parts of Ontario, southern Quebec and >>>>> several American states. This plant grows aggressively by wrapping >>>>> itself >>>>> around tress and other plants, and can grow up to two metres high. >>>>> This >>>>> forms dense stands that overwhelm and crowd out native plants and >>>>> young >>>>> trees, preventing forest regeneration. The plant produces bean-shaped >>>>> seed >>>>> pods for to seven centimetres long and pink to dark purple star-shaped >>>>> flowers >>>>> >>> >>> >>
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