Hello, I'm submitting a…

Hello,

I'm submitting a comment in regards to the call out for comments relating to "information on invasive species and carriers under the Ontario Invasive Species Act, 2015". As I currently work within the environmental industry, for a small stewardship committee focused on environmental restoration in northern Ontario, I believe I have experience and insight that is relevant to the discussion surrounding the invasive species act.

On review of the list of invasive species currently being reviewed, I noticed the absence of Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). This aquatic plant behaves in a manner very similar to the aquatic species that are currently on the review list, and because of this I believe that Eurasian water-milfoil should also be considered for inclusion on the list.

Similar to European frog-bit, Yellow floating heart and Fanwort (all currently up for review), Eurasian water-milfoil forms dense mats of vegetation that negatively impact native plants and wildlife by out competing them for resources. I’ve seen this first hand in creeks that I work in, and it’s not uncommon to see the dense colonies of the invasive milfoil excluding native plants and fish.

Additionally, Eurasian water-milfoil has the capacity to spread very quickly, and in a similar manner to European frog-bit, with free-floating stem fragments allowing the plant to establish rapidly throughout a creek or river. This seems to have occurred frequently in the streams and creeks I work around, as there are currently many communities of the plant spread throughout these bodies of water, with no historical evidence or reports of it being within their boundaries.

Due to its highly capacity to out compete native vegetation, exclude wildlife, and spread rapidly within a water body, I strongly encourage the review committee to consider adding Eurasian water-milfoil to the list of species that are currently under review.

Kind Regards,