Invasive plant poses threat to Sutton's Black River, Lake Simcoe: MNRF
Ministry working with partners to combat 'dangerous' species

YorkRegion.com
Oct. 5, 2016
Heidi Riedner

A war is being waged in Georgina to stem the tide of a dangerous, invasive aquatic plant, which could pose a huge threat to the Black River and entire Lake Simcoe tributary.

Staff with the Aurora branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) discovered a large pod of water soldier upstream from the dam in the river last fall.

Never heard of it? Most people haven’t.

Ministry staff have, however, and immediately initiated a rapid response with intensive removal and prevention efforts, which continued in the spring and summer of this year in the hopes of preventing its spread downstream to Lake Simcoe.

That involved Georgina resident Mike Nealon, who received a service award for his efforts from the ministry last week during an information session held at The Link regarding the invasive species.

Why so much fuss over a plant that is similar in appearance to an aloe plant, spider plant or the top of a pineapple, but is distinguished by its serrated leaf edges?

It doesn’t grow in the “wild”, but if and when it does, it forms dense mats of floating vegetation that can impact native plants, possibly alter water chemistry and hinder recreational activities such as swimming, angling and boating.

Used as an ornamental plant in water gardens, most typically in aquariums, the cold-tolerant plant – if introduced into a natural body of water – is capable of growing in standing or slow-flowing water and can establish in water depths up to five metres.

MNRF staff knew a proactive approach was required with the Black River pod, especially since the only other confirmed area of a wild population in North America was discovered in the Trent-Severn system near Lake Seymour, where, in a couple of short years, it spread like wildfire, greatly impacting the aquatic community there and those who enjoy its recreational benefits such as fishing, boating and swimming.

A combination of monitoring and control measures, extensive mapping of the water soldier population, mechanical harvesting and a herbicide treatment were part of the plan there.

In Georgina, Nealon, a local contractor, stepped up to the plate to help.

Nealon has spent his long career on Lake Simcoe – from moving goods to homes and cottages on his barge, to shoreline enhancement, and installing boat launches and docks – working in association with the ministry since 1985.

In the fall of 2015, when Mike was asked to help MNRF staff design a barrier to contain the first major water soldier colony found in the Black River while the crew removed it, he not only helped with the design, but also supplied and delivered the entire 400-foot silt curtain at no cost.

In the spring of 2016, Nealon designed, constructed and installed a water soldier barrier across the face of the dam in Sutton to prevent floating plants from sweeping downstream and potentially growing in other areas such as Lake Simcoe.

Taken completely by surprise by the award, Nealon modestly squirms like a worm on a hook receiving any public recognition for what he simply considers doing his part to protect the future of the river and the lake.

“I’m just an ordinary guy doing what I do. You don’t need recognition for simply taking responsibility and doing what you can to help,” Nealon said.

“It is a great bunch of guys with the ministry that are getting in the trenches and at war with it,” he added.

“They really care about what they are quietly doing out there and are in it for the long haul. They were out there in hip waders, pulling this stuff apart doing what needs to be done, so I got behind them and did what I could.”

For more information, visit the MNRF website.

To report a sighting of water soldier or other invasive species in the wild, you can contact the toll-free Invading Species hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or visit www.eddmaps.org/ontario to report online.

SIDEBAR

Impacts of Water Soldier

• Forms dense mats of floating vegetation.
• Crowds out native vegetation resulting in decreased plant biodiversity.
• Has the potential to alter surrounding water chemistry, which may harm phytoplankton and other aquatic organisms.
• Dense floating mats of water soldier can hinder recreational activities, such as boating, angling and swimming.
• Sharp serrated leaf edges can cut swimmers and individuals who handle water soldier plants. Caution should be taken whenever handling the plant.

- Source MNRF