12 13 Aquarium/Pet Owners • Like to take your dog for a swim? Make sure to remove plants or animals or any debris that has collected on the dog’s coat before taking the dog home. At home, wash your dog with clean water and brush its coat. • Don’t release aquarium fish and plants or other exotic animals into the wild. If you plan to own an exotic pet, do your research and plan ahead to make sure you can commit to looking after it. Information for managing invasive plants on your property If you find an invasive plant population on your property there may be control methods that you can apply to eliminate or prevent the species from spreading further. The options available to you depend on the severity of the invasion and what species you are dealing with. The Ontario Invasive Plants Council provides Best Management Practices for many invasive plants. www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca Report all invaders If you think you see an invasive species in your cottage area, take a picture, record the location and call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711. You may also download the EDDMapS Ontario App to report an invader on the spot at www.eddmaps.org/ontario/. Watch for it Learn what invasive species look like and then monitor your cottage property paying special attention to areas where they may appear such as the shoreline. Stop the spread Before heading home from the cottage, be sure to clean all of your gear. Make sure your watercraft, trailers, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, camping/fishing equipment, clothes and boot bottoms are free of plant material and seed-spreading mud. Put unwanted bait in the garbage. Use local firewood Refrain from moving firewood to prevent the spread of pests. Moving untreated firewood to or from a campground or cottage can spread invasive species and diseases. Buy Local. Burn Local. Keep your shoreline natural A naturalized shoreline is generally considered the best approach to protecting the lake’s edge. Removing native plants from natural areas leaves the area bare and vulnerable to invasive species. Use native or non-invasive species Use native or non-invasive species in your garden at the cottage. Use native plants to re-vegetate bare grounds near streams, rivers and lakes and encourage native species of flowers, shrubs and trees to limit your maintenance work and provide shelter to native wildlife. Refer to Grow Me Instead Guides for more information: www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/ resources/grow-me-instead Stay informed It is important to stay informed and attuned to developments in science and research and incentive programs that may affect you and your waterfront property. Sign up to receive FOCA’s free monthly Elert (electronic newsletter) today at https://foca.on.ca! Top 7 actions shoreline owners can take 1 2 3 7 4 5 6 Other Resources www.foca.on.ca/invasive-species/ www.ontario.ca/page/cottager-action-plan www.invadingspecies.com/ www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/ www.eddmaps.org/ontario/ www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/ Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 2010. Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species. Ontario: Queens Printer for Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 2012. Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan. Ontario: Queens Printer for Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 2015. Ontario White-nose Syndrome Response Plan. Ontario: Queens Printer for Ontario. Did you know? Emerald ash borer will only travel a few kilometers per year on its own; however it can be easily dispersed long distances by people moving infested materials, such as firewood, logs, lumber, and woodchips.