Invasive Species Economic and Environmental Impact

Invasive plants and species can negatively affect income, water quality, property values, infrastructure, traditional resources, recreation, and incur control costs.

Invasive species can lead to lost income by damaging crops, reducing water quality, and limiting recreational opportunities.

Invasive species can change water quality by increasing soil erosion and sedimentation, making water unusable for drinking or recreation.

Managing invasive species, such as removing them from a region or controlling their spread, can be expensive.

Invasive species can cause significant economic damage, costing billions of dollars annually in lost revenue across Canada.

Plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been moved to an area outside their natural range, either accidentally or intentionally.

Introduced species that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health in their new location.

Invasive species spread through human activities (accidental or deliberate) and by climate change.

Invasive species can harm forest productivity by reducing wildlife habitat, diversity, and making the forest more vulnerable to insects and diseases.

Invasive species can affect agriculture by decreasing crop yields, introducing diseases and pests, and reducing the quality of animal feed.

Invasive species found in water environments, they pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems, economies, and human health.

Canada thistle, smooth brome, and Kentucky blue grass are examples of invasive plants in Canada.

Lesser Grain Borer, Western Bean Cutworm, and Japanese Beetle are examples of invasive insects in Canada.

Invasive species can reduce soil productivity, impact water quality, degrade wildlife habitat, threaten biodiversity, alter fire regimes, and introduce diseases.

Invasive species can change the frequency and intensity of wildfires by altering fuel sources.

Invasive species negatively impact agriculture and forestry, resulting in an estimated $7.5 billion in lost revenue annually.

Assessments consider scientific factors like feasibility of containment, species ecology, and dispersal pathways. Socio-economic factors like control costs and societal impacts are also important.

Techniques include education, mechanical control (pulling weeds, mowing), grazing by livestock, biological control, chemical control, and monitoring.

Strategies for Aquatic Invasive Species include education (Clean, Drain, Dry), eradication, containment, managing established populations below a threshold, and mitigating impacts.

Feral pigs, also known as wild boars, are descendants of escaped domestic pigs. They were introduced to diversify agriculture in Western Canada but have become invasive.

Groups of feral pigs are called sounders.

Feral pigs prey on wildlife, destroy seedlings and native plants, cause erosion, damage crops, and transmit diseases to livestock.

Feral pigs cause significant crop and infrastructure damage on agricultural land, estimated at $1.5 billion annually in the US.

Management strategies include hunting, trapping, fencing, awareness campaigns, and compensation programs for affected landowners.

Brooke and Van Beest advocated for hunting, trapping, aerial hunting, and raising awareness about feral pigs. They argued against compensation programs.

The Alberta campaign involves trapping, hunting, and raising awareness about feral pigs. Trappers have been hired to kill pigs, and hunters are paid for kills.

Despite efforts, there are challenges in determining the population size and costs associated with control programs.

Judas pigs equipped with radio collars attract males, making them easier to trap. Aerial hunting is also effective.

Feral pigs pose a significant threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and human health. Effective management is essential to mitigate their impact.