00:00: An Update on Hydrilla in Ontario
Speaker: Rebecca Rooney, Founder and Director of the Waterloo Wetland Lab, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo
Dr. Rebecca Rooney is the founder and director of the Waterloo Wetland Lab, a wetland ecology research group at the University of Waterloo. She teaches students in ecology and conservation biology and her graduate students conduct research into ecological integrity and wetland responses to human disturbance. She has studied topics from wetland reclamation and restoration, invasive plant management, species at risk recovery, and the fate and effects of contaminants like pesticides, microplastics, and hydrocarbons.
An Update on Hydrilla in Ontario
In June, the Waterloo Wetland Lab was sampling submersed aquatic plants in Hillman Marsh, on the Pelee Peninsula, when they discovered an unwelcome species. Hydrilla verticillata, commonly just hydrilla, has been described as North America's most invasive plant because of the rapidity with which it can spread. Working with a broad base of collaboration led by the Essex Region Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry under the Invasive Species Act, we undertook monitoring to determine how extensive the infestation is and to inform efforts to treat it with the herbicide ProcellaCOR containing the active ingredient florpyrauxifen-benzyl. We intend to continue monitoring to track the efficacy of treatment and to help develop best management practices for hydrilla suppression. We will provide an update on what we know, how to identify hydrilla, and our research plans for the future.
20:53: Oak Wilt: An Emerging Threat to Ontario’s forests
Speaker: Julie Holmes, Plant Health Survey Biologist, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Julie joined the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) after completing a BSc. in Ecology at the University of Guelph, where she became passionate about invasive species biology. Since joining the agency as an inspector in 2006, Julie has held a variety of positions within CFIA’s Operations, Science, and Policy and Programs branches to support the delivery of the Plant Health program. As the Plant Health Survey Biologist for Ontario, Julie works on a number of high visibility pest files and enjoys the many opportunities for collaboration with partners and stakeholders who share in the goal of protecting Canada’s ecosystems from invasive species.
Oak Wilt: An Emerging Threat to Ontario’s forests
Oak wilt is a destructive plant disease caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum and is considered a quarantine pest under Canada’s Plant Protection Act. It was recorded for the first time in Canada in June 2023 and represents an emerging threat to Ontario's forests. This talk will highlight the impacts of oak wilt on the landscape and aims to highlight the value of partnerships and public outreach in both detecting and responding to invasive species incursions.
42:04: Spot it? Snap, Catch and Report it! Prepare to Meet the Spotted Lanternfly
Speaker: Hannah Fraser, Provincial Horticulture Entomologist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
Hannah Fraser is the provincial horticulture entomologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. She works with producers, agricultural associations, governments, and a network of provincial, national, and international researchers and extension specialists, to deliver pest management solutions for Ontario growers. Her current focus is preparedness and response planning for invasive and emerging insect pests of agricultural crops, including the spotted lanternfly.
Spot it? Snap, Catch and Report it! Prepare to Meet the Spotted Lanternfly
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, SLF) is an invasive planthopper that threatens Ontario’s agricultural and forestry sectors, and it is considered a nuisance pest in residential landscapes. First detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, SLF has spread to at least 17 states, including those bordering Ontario. Due to the proximity of the pest and the numerous pathways for entry, the risk of introduction to and subsequent establishment in Ontario is considered high. The insect has a large host range that includes crops and landscape plants, grapevines are at risk of plant injury or death due to swarm feeding by adults as they move from senescing hosts into vineyards in the late summer and fall. Canopy dieback and plant health decline have been recorded in saplings of some landscape trees, especially those stressed by environmental conditions. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reported numerous sightings and interceptions of SLF in Canada including several in Niagara and southwestern Ontario. Early detection is critical for effective response. Learn to recognize SLF, how to reduce the risk of spread, and find out what to do if you think you’ve spotted this unwelcome invader.