May 8th, 2012

Grade 7 students from Lester B. Pearson Public School help remove garlic mustard – an invasive plant species – from the property at the Blair OEEC.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on it’s Problem Weed of the Month site describes garlic mustard as…  “the “purple loosestrife” of woodlands and fencerows. It competes with native wildflowers that also flower in the spring, like spring beauty, wild ginger, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, hepatica, toothworts, and trilliums, stealing light, moisture, nutrients, soil and space. Wildlife and insects that depend on these early plants for food soon disappear.”

We also investigated the negative impact of another introduced species, the European House Sparrow. on native cavity nesting bird species like the eastern bluebird and American tree swallow.  Successful tree swallow nestings were documented last spring on the outdooredguys blog under Citizen Science Success  and Bye-Bye Birdies.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/hortmatt/2005/10hrt05a4.htm