Okanagan's Most UnWanted
Canadian Thistle and the Eastern Gray Squirrel
What is an invasive spiecies
An invasive species is defined as an organism (plant, animal, fungus, or bacterium) that is not native and has negative effects on our economy, our environment, or our health. Not all introduced species are invasive.
Invasive plants and animals are the second greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. In other North Americans law says many invasive plants are responsible for habitat damage, loss of subsistence resources, and economic loss.
An invasive species does not have to come from another country. For example, lake trout are native to the Great Lakes, but are considered to be an invasive species in Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming because they compete with native cutthroat trout for habitat.
How did invasive spieceis come to be
for animals the people thought they were in need of an other environment and they came here and overran North America.
The Eastern Grey Squirel
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How To Prevent It
Prevention and persistence are key to management of the Eastern grey squirrel. To prevent their spread, please consider the following:
Don’t feed or relocate grey squirrels
Keep all compost, garbage and pet food covered
Use squirrel-proof bird feeders.
The Canada Thistle
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I have lots of thistles at my home and we cut them down every year so our cows don't eat them when in the ground and to prickly becuse if they eat to many it can heart to chew so they will swallow whole and choke.
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How to prevent it
• Ensure soil, gravel,and other fill material are not contaminated.
• Avoid unloading, parking, or storing equipment and vehicles in infested areas. •Minimize soil disturbance during activities and re-vegetate exposed soil as so possible.
• Remove plants,plant parts,and seeds from personal gear, clothing, pets, equipment. Wash vehicles, including tires and undercarriage, andequipment at designated cleaning sites before leaving infested areas.
• Bag or tarp plants, plant parts, and seeds before transporting to a designated disposal site (e.g. landfill).
• Take special care when controlling Canada thistle near streams, or ditch lines, to prevent the movement of plant parts downstream.
• Maintain or establish healthy plant communities that are resistant to invasion by invasive plants.