UTRCA Tackles Dog-Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed with Support from the Invasive Species Action Fund - Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

UTRCA Tackles Dog-Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed with Support from the
Invasive Species Action Fund

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has been tackling three invasive plants thanks to a $10,000 contribution from the Invasive Species Centre’s Invasive Species Action Fund.

Dog Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed grow throughout the watershed, but are a threat to native biodiversity and a hazard to the community.

Dog Strangling Vine is an extremely aggressive plant that outcompetes native vegetation, creating a monoculture unsuitable for most wildlife. Japanese Knotweed can break through concrete and foundations, create visual barriers along roadsides, and inhibit the growth of native vegetation. Giant Hogweed is an extremely tall that is highly toxic to humans who may encounter the plant in flood plains and along riverside trails.

“The cost to manage these three invasive species is staggering,” said Brandon Williamson, Land Management Coordinator with the UTRCA. “The longer we wait to implement control measures, the greater the impact will be economically and on the environment. That is why the Invasive Species Action Fund has been so important.”

Control measures include removing seeds by hand and applying herbicide directly onto leaves and into stems. Drone technology will also be used to map and inventory Giant Hogweed along the Thames River.

The UTRCA has worked with municipalities and other partners to manage more than 20 different invasive species.

“It is important to keep up our efforts to manage these species to maintain biodiversity, protect people from injury, and prevent infrastructure damage and reduced property values,” said Williamson. “We encourage community members to inform UTRCA staff of the locations of these invasive species as we build the data set of their distribution across the watershed.” Smart phone applications such as iNaturalist and EDDMaps can help identify and log the location of invasive species.

UTRCA Lands Team