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Previously In the News & Events

2024 Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council Annual Forum

March 20,2024 | 9:30am–4:00pm

Bedford Institute of Oceanography

Friends of the Acadian Forest Native Plant Sale

Saturday June 3, 2023 | 9 am – 12 noon

Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens,
Acadia University,
32 University Avenue, Wolfville

Annapolis River Fest

Saturday July 15, 2023 | 9 am – 5 pm

Jubilee Park, Bridgetown

Mentorship Day: Women in Forestry

June 2023

Wentzells Lake, Lunenburg County

CBC Article:
Dozens attend event in Lunenburg County to tag invasive fish species

August 13, 2023

Chronicle Herald:
GET GROWING: How you can prevent the spread of invasive plants

August 19, 2023

Masthead News:
New native species guide offers alternatives to invasive plants

May, 2023

Glossy Buckthorn Removal

Saturday May 13, 2023

Pleasant River

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Workshop

Saturday April 15, 2023

The Gorge, Kentville

Community Based Plan to Control Dog Strangling Vine in Kentville

March 28, 2023

Webinar:
Preventing Zebra Mussel Introduction

March 29, 2023

Laurel Genge
Aquatic Invasive Species
Project Coordinator

Saltwire Article:
Kentville Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Workshop

April 21, 2023

Nova Scotia Invasive Species
2nd Annual Conference

February 28th, 2023

Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth

In the News 2022 – 2021

August 28, 2022 – CBC Article

Thorny problem: invasive Himalayan blackberry plant found in Yarmouth

April 6, 2021 – Global News Article

‘Bizarre’ invasive jumping worm squirms its way into N.S. for the first time

March 11, 2021 – Global News Article

Maritime aquarium owners warned to watch for invasive mussels in decorative plant

February 15, 2021 – Blomidon Naturalists Society

Invasive Species and Climate Change

nsinvasives

🎣 🛶 Working towards a coordinated approach to preventing the spread of invasive species in Nova Scotia! 🌲⛺️

No matter how we choose to spend time outdoors, we

No matter how we choose to spend time outdoors, we all have a responsibility to care for native ecosystems. Together we can #PlayCleanGo to prevent the spread of invasive species!

Headed outside? Follow these simple steps to stop invasive species in their tracks:
✨ CLEAN your gear before entering and leaving a recreation site
✨ REMOVE any mud, plants, and insects from shoes, gear, pets, and tires
✨ Learn to IDENTIFY common invasive species and REPORT when you see them

——

From now until June 14, you can share how you PlayCleanGo for a chance to win one of three prize packs from @InvasivesCanada!

How to Enter:
1️⃣ Share a photo or story showing how you PlayCleanGo
2️⃣ Use hashtags #PlayCleanGoWeek or #PlayCleanGo
3️⃣ Tag @InvasivesCanada

More contest details here: https://canadainvasives.ca/playcleango-awareness-week-june-7-14-2025/

Looking for something to do this weekend? Attend t

Looking for something to do this weekend? Attend these events with us!

Annual Native Plant Sale 🪴✨
Saturday, June 7th
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens, Wolfville
Learn how you can support biodiversity and be PlantWise while you shop for native plants to fill your garden.
https://www.facebook.com/share/14zTezaBHj/

Town of Kentville World Environment Day 🌎🌿
Saturday, June 7th (rain date June 8th)
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Miner's Marsh, Kentville
Join the NSISC for a guided invasive plant walk around Miner's Marsh! Tours are at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Registration is required!
https://kentville.ca/environmentday

#PlantWise #WorldEnvironmentDay #InvasiveSpeciesAwareness

Sackville Lakes HWA Education Event 🌲🐛
Sunday, June 8th
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Second Lake Trail, Lower Sackville
Walk along Second Lake Trail and learn about the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid from the NSISC and other guest educators!
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CFV4eVpKD/

At last month's Invasive Species Guided Walk, we s

At last month's Invasive Species Guided Walk, we stumbled upon this plant on the Frog Pond Trail that had completely overtaken this tree and covered the ground nearby...

Do you know what it is? 🌿🔍🤔

This vining evergreen is commonly sold across Nova Scotia as a garden ornamental or house plant. When it escapes into surrounding ecosystems through animal dispersion, composted fragments, or simply on its own as it grows, it can form dense mats that smother the understory and weaken trees as it climbs them.

If you guessed that this plant is ENGLISH IVY, you are correct!

You can prevent the spread of English Ivy by being #PlantWise and choosing to plant native species, like Eastern Teaberry instead!

If you already have English Ivy in your yard or house, #DontLetItLoose! Dispose of plant fragments responsibly and keep them out of the compost.

⚠️ Invasive Species Alert ⚠️ The Departme

⚠️ Invasive Species Alert ⚠️

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed a report of Oriental Weatherfish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) in the LaHave River near New Germany, Nova Scotia. This is the first time this invasive species has been observed in the wild in the Maritimes.

Oriental Weatherfish pose a significant threat when introduced to native ecosystems. They reduce aquatic insect biodiversity, compete with native fish species for food and spawning habitat, and are known to carry parasites and pathogens that are harmful to both wildlife and humans.

As a common aquarium species, this fish was likely introduced into the ecosystem as a result of an aquarium release. This action is ILLEGAL ❗ across Canada.

Protect native ecosystems from invasive species. If you have a pet you can no longer care for, please act responsibly and #DontLetItLoose.

🙌 Thank you to iNaturalist User eamllr for reporting their observation of Oriental Weatherfish! Your reports are vital to invasive species management across the province! REPORT your invasive species observations to the NSISC at https://nsinvasives.ca/report-an-invasive-species/

📷 Second slide photo credits: iNaturalist user eamllr

May 12 marks International Day of Plant Health! 🌲🌱🌳

Are you familiar with these 6 invasive species impacting plant health in Nova Scotia?
⚠️ Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)
⚠️ Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
⚠️ Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)
⚠️ Beech leaf-mining weevil (Orchestes fagi)
⚠️ Dutch elm disease (Hylurgopinus, Scotylus, & Ophiostoma spp.)
⚠️ Beech bark disease (Cryptococcus fagisuga & Neonectria spp.)

Protect plant health in Nova Scotia by remembering to #PlayCleanGo 🥾 and #BuyLocalBurnLocal 🪵🔥

❗If you see signs of these invasive species, please take a photo and report your observation to nsinvasives.ca/report-an-invasive-species

✨ Summer Job Opportunity ✨ The NSISC is looki

✨ Summer Job Opportunity ✨

The NSISC is looking for a Data Technician to join our team for the summer! Help conduct fieldwork, gather data, and develop data analysis tools to support a coordinated response to the threat of invasive species. More details can be found in the attached job posting.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter as a single PDF file to info@nsinvasives.ca with the subject line "Data Technician."

❗️Application deadline: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Today is Earth Day! 🌎 🌍 🌏 Ecosystems al

Today is Earth Day!

🌎 🌍 🌏

Ecosystems all over the globe are threatened by the spread of invasive species. How can YOU help prevent the spread of invasive species this Earth Day (and every day)?!

It's easy, really! Here are some actions to get you started...
🥾 Play Clean Go
🔥 Buy Local Burn Local
🛶 Clean Drain Dry
🐇 Don't Let It Loose
🌱 Plant Wise
🔍 Report Your Observations

Visit nsinvasives.ca to learn more ✨

PS - You can learn even more by joining us on Thursday, April 24 for a guided invasive species walk! More details in a previous post 🤩

#EarthDay2025 #InvasiveSpeciesAwareness

Let's keep invasive species out of Easter 🚫🎁

Let's keep invasive species out of Easter 🚫🎁🐰

Rabbits are a high-maintenance 10-year commitment and have complex emotional and physical needs. They can even require more work than a dog or a cat!

When gifted for Easter, they are often abandoned once the excitement wears off and the reality of a new responsibility sets in. Setting them loose into the wild is cruel and can lead to unnecessary suffering and death. If they survive, rabbits can become invasive, reproducing quickly and outcompeting native species for food and space.

Forego the pet store and choose to gift chocolate 🍫 or plush toy 🧸 bunnies instead! The rabbits, the local ecosystem, and the person you are signing up for a long-term commitment will all thank you.

If you have or receive a pet rabbit that you do not want or cannot properly care for, contact the SPCA or your local animal shelter about rehoming options. Just don't let it loose!

#InvasiveSpeciesAwareness #DontLetItLoose

We are teaming up with the @hfxmoments Environment

We are teaming up with the @hfxmoments Environment and Climate Change team, @atlanticducks, @ecologyaction, and @halifaxfieldnaturalists to host a series of nature walks in celebration of Earth Week 2025 🌱✨🌷

Join us for a guided walk to learn about why invasive species are a problem, how to identify them, where to report your observations, and what we can do to stop their spread!

📍 Sir Sandford Fleming Park and Frog Pond trails (meet in the big parking lot at the end of Dingle Road)
🗓️ Thursday, April 24
⏰ 6 PM to 8 PM

Please contact Hughstin Grimshaw-Surette at hughstin@canadainvasives.ca with any questions about the event. We hope to see you there!

You can find out more about the other Earth Week 2025 Nature Walks here: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/environment-climate-change/earth-day#:~:text=April%2022%20is%20Earth%20Day

🐚 Nova Scotia is home to 10 native freshwater m

This week's invasive garden plant is ❌Yellow Iri

This week's invasive garden plant is ❌Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)❌, an ornamental plant used in ponds and water gardens.

Its April through July blooms may be pretty, but under the water lurks a not so pretty reality! Reproducing through broken off rhizomes and horizontal root dispersal (in addition to its seeds), Yellow Iris root systems form thick mats that impede water flow, dry up wetlands, and crowd out native species. ☠️ Plus, they are poisonous to both humans and animals when consumed!

🌼 As the only iris with entirely yellow flowers found in North America, this one should be easy to identify from its native alternative!

If you're looking for a native option for your pond or water garden, try ✨Harlequin Blueflag Iris (Iris versicolor)✨ instead!

This gorgeously vibrant perennial plant produces violet-blue flowers with yellow veining throughout late spring. Its sword-like leaves will remain a decorative addition for the rest of the growing season. ⚔️😍

Learn more about these plants, and more, in our Grow Me Instead Guide. Link in bio!

#InvasiveSpeciesAwareness #PlantWise

Happy April Fools' Day! Prevention is the most ef

Happy April Fools' Day!

Prevention is the most effective method of managing invasive species. Do your part to prevent the spread of invasive species before they have a chance to make fools of us all! 🌿🤡🐛

#InvasiveSpeciesAwareness #AprilFoolsDay

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