Invasive Species Microgrants

$1,000 Recipients

Phrag fighters 
The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club will run education and demonstration events for volunteers followed by secondary suppression and removal of invasive Phragmites in Windsor and Essex County.

EcoHikes with Friends of Kilally Meadows
Friends of Kilally Meadows ESA will engage EcoHikers in the restoration of Kilally Meadows ESA, and the Highbury Avenue Bridge access point through management of invasive Himalayan balsam and garlic mustard and planting native plants.

Interpretive sign panel on invasive jumping worms
The Hamilton and Region Conservation Authority will install educational signage on jumping worms, to engage the community about the impacts they are having on the Dundas Valley Conservation Area and to prevent their spread.

Dalewood Reservoir Woody Invasive Species Management
Kettlecreek Conservation Authority (KCCA) plans to manage woody invasive species and engage youth through hands-on action manual work in the St. Thomas area.

Port Franks Wetland Enhancement Project
Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group will install educational signs to educate the Port Franks community and tourists visiting the area, regarding the threat posed by Phragmites to wetlands and shorelines and to provide information and instruction for property owners.

Common Buckthorn removal from the Maitland Woods
Maitland Trail Association (MTA) will remove buckthorn safely and introduce Indigenous tree species and engage the public with ecosystem restoration for the Goderich area.

Restoration of native escarpment flora
The Ecosystem Restoration students at Niagara College will reduce and prevent the spread of Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) through mechanical removal techniques in the Niagara escarpment and prepare the area for restorative planting.

Purple loosestrife biological control initiative
The Port Dover Waterfront Preservation Association will implement biological control to manage invasive purple loosestrife in the Silver Lake basin.

Invasive species mapping and removal
Thames Talbot Land Trust will enhance and restore important wildlife habitats through the management of invasive species in three nature reserves: Mud Lake Reserve, Sitler Woods and Newport Forest. 

 

$5,000 Recipients

Removal of invasive species vegetation from T.J. Dolan Natural Area
The City of Stratford will eliminate Japanese Knotweed, European Buckthorn, and periwinkle from the T.J. Dolan natural area.

Phase II wetland restoration
Mohawk Seedkeeper Gardens will use Indigenous Knowledge and ancestral responsibilities to focus on healing Mother Earth, through land restoration and spiritual connections. This includes purple loosestrife removal, habitat revitalization initiatives, and a community education workshop.

E.C. Brown Wetland restoration project
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority will use funds to cut and paint the largest invasive European black alder trees in the E.C. Brown Wetland, located in the Welland River floodplain.

Savanna Restoration Project
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority will remove invasive plants and the thinning pines in a sterile (non-productive) pine plantation in London, Ontario to create a diverse savanna and tallgrass prairie habitat.

Beating Back Buckthorn
Township of Woolwich Environmental Enhancement Committee will eradicate buckthorn in the Elmira Nature Reserve to protect native species with the help of community volunteers educated on invasive species issues and identification.

$1,000 Recipients

Supporting invasive species education, community action and management planning in Ontario
The Boating Ontario Association will educate boaters on invasive species issues including provincial regulations, which will lead to a boating community equipped with the knowledge to keep waterways safe from invasive species.

2022 Garlic Mustard Task Force
The Corporation of the City of Mississauga will support the 2022 implementation of the City of Mississauga’s Garlic Mustard Task Force (GMTF) to grow their volunteer team and remove garlic mustard from natural areas in Mississauga.

ISC x FSRT Invasives on the edge 2022
The Field and Stream Rescue Team will coordinate with local organizations and landowners in Burlington, Ontario to host community events that feature invasive species education, identification, and removal activities in valuable interstitial urban green spaces.

The Meeting Hose – phragmites removal and re-naturalization project
The Halton Environmental Network will remove invasive Phragmites and replace them with native species at the Meeting House, and host workshops to educate the community on native species, wetland restoration and Indigenous Reconciliation and Traditional Knowledge.

LDD Moth Egg Removal in High Park
The Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle will educate community members on how to identify and remove LDD moth eggs and host public engagement activities for removal in High Park, Toronto before snowmelt.

Red-Eared Slider Sanctuary Exclusion Fencing
Little RES Q will install specialty perimeter fencing for their turtle sanctuary in Pefferlaw, Ontario to accommodate and contain invasive red-eared slider turtles, providing a safe place for pet surrender that will prevent pet release and protect native turtle species.

Common reed management at Lawson Nature Reserve
Ontario Nature will remove invasive Phragmites from Lawson Nature Reserve and work with volunteers to monitor and manage regrowth.

Weed Walks
Rouge River Seedy Saturday Fair will invite residents to participate in biweekly walks to learn about invasive species such as dog-strangling vine and garlic mustard, and how they can help to eliminate them.

Penetanguishene Waterfront Park phragmites management and site restoration
The Severn Sound Environmental Association will work with the town of Penetanguishene and engage community groups and volunteers in stewardship activities to remove invasive Phragmites and restore habitat through planting native species at Champlain Wendat Park.

Toronto Nature Stewards pop-up invasive removal events
The Toronto Nature Stewards will host pop-up events to educate volunteers about invasive garlic mustard, dog-strangling vine and buckthorn identification, impacts, and removal.

Township of King invasive species management
The Township of King will develop an Invasive Species Management Operating Strategy, educate, and engage the community in invasive species management, and remove invasive buckthorn from Cold Creek Conservation Area and other locations.

Spotted knapweed and habitat restoration project
The Township of Tiny will work in partnership with the Severn Sound Environmental Association and community volunteers to remove spotted knapweed and restore sand dune habitat through planting native species at the coastal site Lafontaine Beach, Tiny.

Early detection of invasive jumping worms using community science
Dr. Michael McTavish, University of Toronto, will engage community members from several organizations to raise awareness of jumping worms through fact sheets, guided hikes, and public presentations, and to collect invaluable early detection and monitoring data using online surveys, field sampling kits, and reporting to EDDMapS.

Riparian buckthorn control project
The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre will coordinate staff and volunteers to contain and suppress invasive buckthorn using mechanical methods in the riparian areas of the Wye Marsh National Wildlife Area.

Volunteer stewardship events
LEAF will host volunteer stewardship events in naturalized areas around the City of Richmond Hill and the Township of King, to remove invasive plants and ensure the establishment of newly planted native trees and shrubs.

Incorporating Invasive plants into existing monitoring programs
The Institute of Forestry and Conservation, University of Toronto will make an invasive plant species inventory and monitoring more explicit within existing programs and engage and educate the public about invasive plants through their two inventory and monitoring programs.

 

$5,000 Recipients

LDD Tree Burlap Banding Kits
The City of Markham will assist residents in the control of spongy moth by providing assembled tree banding kits.

Forks of the Credit Centre for Biodiversity dog-strangling vine community collaborative project
Credit Valley Conservation Authority will connect with private landowners to control invasive dog-strangling vine on public and private landowner properties in the environmentally significant area of Forks of the Credit Centre for Biodiversity.

From the ground up species invaders program
Conservation Halton will grow the capacity of their Species Invaders program by supporting a class–set of invasive species removal equipment.

Invasive species awareness in action project
Oakville Green’s Invasive Species Awareness and Action Project will train community members to identify and control the spread of invasive species in local woodlots and private properties in Oakville through workshops and hands-on removal events.

European buckthorn control and native revegetation project
Ontario Streams will host events removing European buckthorn and planting native vegetation in headwater habitats within the Humber River Watershed. This is expected to lead to 3,066 m2 of habitat improved from invasive plant species removal and to engage more than 100 volunteers.

Little Lake Park Japanese knotweed removal
The Town of Midland plans to manage the Japanese Knotweed growth in Little Lake Park.

$1,000 Recipients

6th Annual Garlic Mustard Pull
EcoSuperior Environmental Programs will host the 6th Annual Garlic Mustard Pull and engage citizens on locally relevant invasive species.

Settlement Sampler Zebra Mussel Monitoring Program
The Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association will distribute settlement samplers and aquatic invasive species resources to the community to detect, monitor, and manage the population of zebra mussels in the Lake of the Woods Watershed.

$1,000 Recipients

Developing a Grow Me Instead education program for the greater Sault Ste. Marie area
Clean North will work with a range of partners including Sault Naturalists, the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy, and the City to develop “Grow Me Instead” materials specific to the area around Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, which can be used to educate gardeners and homeowners.

Eurasian watermilfoil in Sudbury Lakes: status and options for action
The Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance, Aquatic Invasive Species Committee, will create a comprehensive report to help the committee develop an environmentally and legally responsible action plan to limit the growth and spread of milfoil in the lakes in the City of Greater Sudbury.

Addressing erosion and biodiversity loss through invasive species management
The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee will address biodiversity loss and erosion concerns along Junction Creek by engaging with local stakeholders and volunteers to remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants.

Identifying and preventing the spread of invasive plant species
The Kensington Conservancy (TKC) will implement an educational campaign to create awareness about invasive species found in the St. Joseph Channel area, and the installation of boot brush stations to help prevent the spread of invasive plants.

Lake Wosle and Rozel Bay Phrag Removal
The Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association will remove invasive Phragmites from Lake Wosley and Rozel Bay with the help of community volunteers to protect native species habitat and Species at Risk.

Invasive species and species at risk in Huron Shores
The Municipality of Huron Shores will educate staff on invasive species issues, install signage on boat cleaning and boot brushing, and install a CD3 roadside boat cleaning system for public use to protect Huron Shores wilderness from invasive species.

Truxor Days support and invasive species management education for municipal workers
The Phragmites Working Group Lake Bernard will use large equipment to unload, and load pre-cut invasive Phragmites into trucks for transport to safe disposal areas and will deliver invasive species education to department staff to assist in invasive Phragmites management.

Outreach, education, and action!
The Sault Ste. Marie Golf Club will provide outreach and education on invasive species to promote a greater awareness of invasive species issues such as early detection and community science to increase public engagement.

 

$5,000 Recipients

Ontario Youth Naturalist program invasive species module expansion and pilot
Lakehead University will educate Ontario’s SHSM students and pilot a youth action plan project with Parks Canada, aiming for participation from students in Orillia, Sault Ste. Marie, Stayner and Elliot Lake.

Education, management, and prevention of invasive species
Magnetawan First Nation (MFN) will employ a community member to develop and apply invasive species management and prevention skills to develop a community-based action plan for the prevention and management of invasive species on MFN.

$1,000 Recipients

St. Lawrence most wanted invasive species curiosity cart program
The Aquatarium at Tall Ships Landing will implement an educational project that helps children to identify and understand the risk of invasive species throughout the 1000 Islands St. Lawrence region including a pop-up education station at the Aquatarium which will host sessions in 2022.

Eagle Lake Eurasian watermilfoil information campaign
The Eagle Lake Property Owners Association will develop an awareness program for the cottagers around Eagle Lake to collectively help slow the spread of Eurasian Water Milfoil.

Invasive Species Action in the Salmon River Watershed
Friends of the Salmon River will educate community members about Invasive Species and host field sessions to remove invasive Phragmites from the Salmon River Watershed.

Minimizing the threat of invasive species to at-risk turtle populations
The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre will help to reduce the threat of invasive Phragmites and red-eared sliders on at-risk turtle populations through education workshops, modules, and communication channels.

Jackson Park invasive species removal
The Odoonabii Watershed Stewards will recruit community volunteers to remove buckthorn from Jackson Park in Peterborough, Ontario and replace it with native, fast-growing trees and shrubs to provide benefits to both humans and wildlife.

Providing education and action on invasive species in Ottawa South
The Ottawa South Ecoaction Network will educate and train local residents and students in the proper identification, removal and disposal of invasive species in Southern Ontario, and partner with ongoing removal efforts in nearby communities to build trained volunteer capacity for local projects.

Nicholson’s Point Wood Nature Reserve Property Management Plan
Rideau Waterway Land Trust will work with and educate property neighbours to create a property management plan for Nicholson Point Woods Nature Reserve to quantify the threat of invasive species and how to address them.

Invasive Eurasian watermilfoil baseline imaging project
The Sharbot Lake Property Owners’ Association will work with the GREC school aerial drone program to produce a fly-over of portions of Sharbot Lake affected by the Eurasian watermilfoil and produce imagery of the affected areas to form a basis for continued monitoring and planning of control efforts.

Buckthorn removal
Tree Fest Ottawa will partner with Friends of Carlington Woods to organize staff and volunteers to remove a stand of buckthorn that is threatening a pollinator garden in Carlington, the Clyde Bee and Butterfly Patch, and replace it with native species.

Eurasian Milfoil Action Committee
The Wollaston Lake Home and Cottage Association will manage the infestation of Eurasian Milfoil in Wollaston Lake through broad community engagement and education.

 

$5,000 Recipients

Invasive species control program for grassland habitat

The Alderville BOS will execute an invasive species control program on globally rare grassland ecosystems as an integral part of Tallgrass Prairie and Black Oak Savanna habitat restoration.

Mobilizing against the spread
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority will remove several invasive species and involve students in environmental initiatives in the Ganaraska forest.