Invasive Species Awareness Week: February 26 – March 3, 2024

Next to habitat loss, the spread of non-native, invasive species is one of the top problems causing environmental decline in our land and water ecosystems.�� Whether they are invasive plants, tree pests, fish, mussels, animals, or insects, they all threaten native species.

There are many introduced or non-native species that have been brought into Ontario from around the world, either purposely or accidentally. Only some of these are termed “invasive”, meaning they are particularly problematic as they establish themselves quickly and disrupt established ecosystems, forcing out native species. The invasive species arrive without the pests that co-evolved with them in their places of origin, so they can spread unchecked.

Buckthorn

Locally problematic plants include buckthorns, Phragmites, Japanese Knotweed, garlic mustard, and dog-strangling vine. Another big concern are invasive insects and tree diseases such as oak wilt, emerald ash borer, and beech bark disease that are affecting our natural hardwood forests. Aquatic ecosystems are impacted by species such as carp, goldfish, round Gobi, zebra mussels, as well as red eared sliders (turtles). These aquatic species can alter the environment by changing water clarity and out-reproducing native species in our ponds, streams, and lakes.

Common carp

Controlling invasive species requires knowledge and resources, so it is important to prioritize efforts. Some plants can be manually pulled from the ground, while others require specific herbicides to be effective at a large scale. The ����ֱ�� (UTRCA) and its partners has been involved in invasive species control and monitoring for many years. Here are some examples of efforts the UTRCA has been involved in over the last few years:

• Spraying Japanese knotweed in the Town of Mitchell for the Municipality of West Perth
• Treating and removing Phragmites and buckthorns in London’s Environmentally Significant Areas and Fanshawe Conservation Area
• Monitoring our aquatic systems for invasive fish species
• Researching and studying the effects of tree diseases and insect pests (e.g., oak wild and emerald ash borer) in our watershed
• Invasive species iNaturalist project
• Being on alert for new pests and invasive plants entering the region

The public can help by not purchasing invasive non-native plants for their gardens (see the by Ontario Invasive Plant Council), removing them from their properties, and supporting community efforts (e.g., buckthorn busting days) to control them in public natural areas. There are factsheets on the UTRCA website on how to control some of these species. Also, check out: and

Rural Landowners Annual Workshop – Embro Edition��

The ����ֱ�� (UTRCA) is excited to be hosting this year's Rural Landowner Workshop at the Embro Community Centre on March 21 from 7 to 9 pm.��It will be an informative evening with presentations by both UTRCA staff and community members about ongoing conservation practices.��

There will be a wide range of topics discussed promoting Best Management Practices (BMPs), which are cost-effective, practical actions that landowners can take to improve both soil health and water quality while maintaining or enhancing agricultural production. BMPs can include: stream rehabilitation, cover crops, erosion control projects, land retirements (tree plantings, tall grass prairie plantings) and wetland creation or enhancements. Staff will share the BMPs that have been implemented at UTRCA's Thorndale Demonstration Farm including controlled drainage, reduced tillage, cover crops along with findings from the monitoring they have been conducting.����

The keynote speaker, Gord Green, who farms outside of Embro, will discuss his experience with conservation efforts on his property and their impact. Additionally, Phil Holst, a Ducks Unlimited Canada Director, will share his experience with wetland restoration projects. Both speakers will provide valuable, firsthand accounts of their participation in BMP implementation.������

The UTRCA encourages community members and landowners to attend and engage in what is expected to be a great informational session. To register for the free workshop,

We hope to see you there!��

Dean Trentowsky, West Perth Deputy Mayor, speaking at the 2023 Landowner Workshop in Mitchell

Navigating Icy Roads and Road Salt for Drinking Water Health��

Spring is just around the corner, but snow and ice are still in the forecast and, with them, icy sidewalks and roads. Salt is commonly used to melt ice and reduce the risk created by icy conditions, but it also poses a significant threat to water quality. It's important to ensure our use of salt doesn't jeopardize the health of our groundwater and, with it, our drinking water.��

The salt applied to roads, driveways and sidewalks doesn't disappear with melting snow; instead, it seeps into the ground, eventually mixing with groundwater — the source of drinking water for many residents in the Upper Thames River watershed. Salt in groundwater can lead to contamination, affecting the quality of water we rely on daily.����

Here are some simple ways that you can help reduce the negative impacts of road salt and protect groundwater:��

• Clear snow promptly before it compacts into ice, reducing the need for salt. If ice forms, break it up using a steel chopper and remove it with a shovel.��
• Use an alternative to salt, such as sand, grit, or non-clumping kitty litter, to provide traction without the negative impacts of salt.��
• If some salt is necessary, use a mix of sand and salt. This combination offers better traction, helps to melt ice, and uses less salt.��
• Use a minimal amount of salt – often, a few tablespoons of salt are enough for a 1 metre square area. Give the salt time to do its job before deciding whether more is needed, to reduce the amount used.��
• Clean up any spilled or excess salt for later use. Storing and containing salt properly can prevent it from leaching into the ground.��

By clearing snow early, using alternatives to salt, and minimizing salt usage, we can safeguard the health of our groundwater. Responsible salt application ensures winter safety without compromising the integrity of our most precious resource: water.��

Conservation Ontario has launched a social media campaign to enhance public awareness of Drinking Water Source Protection and highlight road salt issues, including promoting salt reduction and improved road salt management. The eight-week campaign runs to the last week of March. Follow the campaign on the Thames-Sydenham and Region and .

Spring 2024 Tree Power sales open soon

Tree planting season may seem a long way off but ����ֱ��'s (UTRCA) spring Tree Power programs are around the corner!

This popular program provides watershed residents with affordable native hardwood trees through partnerships with our municipalities and sponsors.

• UTRCA has partnered with the Municipality of West Perth to host the first West Perth Tree Power in 2024! West Perth online orders open on Friday, February 23 at 8 am and tree pick up will be Saturday, April 6.
• London Hydro Tree Power returns with online orders opening on Friday, March 1 at 8 am, and tree pick up on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6.
• Festival Hydro Tree Power returns to Stratford online orders opening on Friday, March 1 at 8 am, and tree pick up Saturday, April 13.

In total, these programs will provide residents with 900 trees to plant on their properties!

"We're getting set up for a busy spring and we're excited to get more trees into the hands of watershed residents", said Rob Davies, UTRCA Forestry Supervisor. "We're very happy to see the Tree Power program growing and welcome this new partnership with West Perth."

Trees are $25 each. Residents are asked to purchase just one per property so that as many people can benefit from the programs as possible.

London Hydro Tree Power: online ordering available here.

Festival Hydro Tree Power in Stratford: online ordering available here.

West Perth Tree Power: online ordering available here.

UTRCA is Recruiting!��

On Thursday, Feb 1, ����ֱ�� (UTRCA) Community Partnership staff participated in an Employer Fair at Huron University College. Students learned about the many career opportunities at the UTRCA including our summer internship position, which this year will focus on researching climate change preparedness for parks, lands, and outdoor recreation. UTRCA staff chatted with many students including a few friendly faces from last year's partnerships with Huron's Scotia Bank Scholars and RBC Innovations Boot Camp programs.��

For current job postings,��visit our employment page here.

Stratford Winterfest 2024��

Stratford Winterfest started in 1998 as a one-day event to encourage residents to get outside and enjoy winter. The ����ֱ�� (UTRCA) has participated in Winterfest since its inception, at times on the organizing committee and always by providing activities.����

The 2024 Winterfest was held in Upper Queen's Park in Stratford on Saturday, January 27. This year, the UTRCA installed a Story Hike on site featuring the book, Song for the Snow, written by Jon-Erik Lappano and illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler. This book was chosen for its connection to winter and traditions and underlying message of hope for a healthy, balanced environment. Despite the warmer weather this year, the organizing committee reported a great turnout of around 3000 people and that the UTRCA's efforts to connect people with nature were very much appreciated.��

Oxford Stewardship Award��

The ����ֱ�� (UTRCA) extends congratulations to Cobi and Steve Sauder who recently won the Oxford County Stewardship Award. The award recognizes landowners in Oxford County who make voluntary efforts to help protect the quality of the County's natural environment including its soil, water, woodlands, and other natural features.��

The Sauders have demonstrated a strong stewardship ethic on their 100-acre farm in Zorra Township, near Wildwood Conservation Area. They purchased their farm nearly 30 years ago and have been working towards improving their farm operation over time. Steve and Cobi have been doing no-till and minimal-till crop rotations since the 1990s and cover crops over the past six years. They are always looking for ways to improve soil health.��

Tree planting has been an ongoing project over the years, and they estimate that they have planted over 6,500 since purchasing the property. Additionally,they have established a wooded area with tree diversity, buffered a wetland, and planted windbreaks.��

They have also installed erosion control structures, carried out buckthorn control and carried out some innovative forest management by installing deer enclosure areas.��

Two other UTRCA landowners, Greg and Marsha Litt and Paul Brenneman were also nominated for the award. Details about the award and those nominated can be found at: ��

Congratulations to Steve and Cobi and all nominees!��

Oxford County Warden Marcus Ryan presents the Oxford County Stewardship Award to Cobi and Steve Sauder at the February 14th County Council Meeting

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A Familiar Winter Bird: Black-capped Chickadee

Likely, it is the distinct song of the black-capped chickadee that makes it so identifiable. The most familiar call is the cheery “chick-a-dee-dee-dee”, which reputedly gave this talkative, little bird its name. While, to the human ear, the notes may sound simple, they are highly variable and astonishingly complex.

A Chickadee Song

Produced by both the male and female, their call is used for communicating information about food sources, coordinating flock movement, and identifying and recognizing other flocks. It is also an alarm call alerting others to predators and threats. A recent study showed that the more “dee” notes in a “chick-a-dee” call, the greater the threat from nearby predators. For instance, a dangerous raptor may generate four or five extra “dees” instead of the typical two.

Another recognizable song, particularly during mating season, is the two note “fee bee” call. Some hear it as “cheese-bur-ger” or “��dz�-�ɳ��”. Males often use it to defend their territory or attract a mate.

During winter, these inquisitive, sociable birds travel in small flocks and are often accompanied by an assortment of other small birds, such as nuthatches, titmice, creepers, kinglets, and woodpeckers. Those associated with chickadee flocks respond to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species does not have a similar warning system.

Preparing for Winter

Chickadees are permanent residents of Ontario and do not migrate south for the winter. This requires them to be adaptable when searching for food. As opportunistic feeder, their diet varies with each season depending on what is available.

In summer, chickadees devour numerous spiders, caterpillars, and other insects, particularly when a high protein diet is necessary to feed their growing young. As voracious insectivores, these birds provide an important form of natural pest control. Their diet changes as the weather cools. In the fall and winter, the bulk of their food is composed of wildflower seeds, berries, and hidden, dormant insects.

As avid seed-eaters, they regularly visit backyard feeders, making them one of the first birds people learn to identify. Due to their curious personality, they have a habit of investigating everything in their home territory, including humans. They are friendly by nature and many who are accustomed to humans readily accept sunflower seeds from an out-stretched hand.

Chickadees are food-caching birds. When food is plentiful, they store seeds and other food items which they retrieve later. They hide morsels of food singly in several different locations including bark crevices, dead leaves, knotholes, and clusters of conifer needles. Each item is placed in a different spot and chickadees can remember thousands of hiding places.

Photo by Brenda Gallagher

To keep track of their food, they have developed excellent spatial memories. Chickadees relocate scattered caches using visual cues, such as surrounding features and objects. To adapt to changes in their environment and to help remember cache locations, chickadees are also able to replace old neurons in their brain with new ones, allowing them to create space for additional information as they age. As well, studies show that chickadees fed a diet high in spiders when young were bolder and learn more quickly as adults. Although harder to find and less filling than caterpillars, spiders contain very high levels of tourine, an amino acid essential in developing visual acuity and overall brain function.

Chickadees that live in harsher environments frequently have limited access to available food, thus their cognitive abilities to recover food locations is more important for winter survival. These northern birds have been found to have enhanced spatial memories, a larger hippocampus and more neurons than those that live in milder climates, where food is easier to find and reliance on memory is not as imperative.

����ֱ�� and Habitat

Black-capped chickadees nest in cavities in dead standing trees or rotting logs. Together, the male and female excavate the soft, decaying wood of existing natural cavities, or refurbish abandoned woodpecker holes. Only females sit on the eggs and the male often brings her food during this incubation period. Once the nestlings hatch, both the male and female act as caregivers, providing their young with foraged insects.

So the next time you see these fun, little birds, you can admire them for both their beauty and intelligence.

Contact: Brenda Gallagher, Forestry Technician