ISC 10 Ontario Boot Brush Station Contest

To commemorate its 10-year anniversary, the Invasive Species Centre is providing ten (10) boot brush stations in Ontario to help protect recreational trail systems from invasive species.

Invasive species can hitchhike on people’s boots and clothing, equipment, and pets from other areas, and damage the natural areas where we love to hike and camp. When we brush debris containing invasive plant seeds off our feet, clothing, and equipment, we stop harmful invasive plants, insects, and diseases from infesting these special areas. Many of our parks and natural spaces are experiencing record numbers of visitors, and so these community boot brush stations are a small step to help provide new ways to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Boot brush stations are effective at helping stop the spread of invasive species, as trail users can use the boot brush to remove mud, dirt, and seeds from their shoes before and after using a trail.

A total of ten boot brush stations were randomly drawn from over 65 eligible entries across Ontario, two in Southern Ontario, two in Central Ontario, two in Northwestern Ontario, two in Northeastern Ontario and two in Eastern Ontario.

Congratulations to these organizations on being selected as a winner of a Boot Brush Station!

Southern Ontario:

• Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (Chatham Kent)
• McMaster University – Nature at McMaster (Hamilton)

Central Ontario:

• Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (Clarington)
• Township of Tiny (Tiny)

Eastern Ontario:

• South Nation Conservation (Berwick)
• Nature Conservancy (Arnprior)

Northwestern Ontario:

• Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (Thunder Bay)
• Red Rock Indian Band (Nipigon)

Northeastern Ontario:

• The Town of Blind River (Blind River)
• Jocelyn Recreation (Hilton Beach)