South West Woodlot Association Annual Meeting and Information Day to Feature Speakers on Invasive Species and the History of Southern Ontario Forests
The South West Woodlot Association (SWWA) is hosting two Speakers of interest at its upcoming Annual Meeting and Information Day, open to anyone interested in hearing about the history of our local forests and the invasive species threatening them.
Why should we all be interested? Consider the following:
The American Chestnut tree was once one of the most abundant trees in southwestern Ontario, feeding people, livestock, and wildlife, and providing rot resistant lumber for furniture, fencing, and building. In the early 1900’s, Chinese chestnuts were brought in by experts hoping to breed a better chestnut, and with them came a fungus (Cryphonectria parasitic)that had killed millions by 1950. Furthermore, some of its dependent insects, including ten species of moth, disappeared with them.
A more recent pest is the Emerald Ash Borer, which arrived in raw-wood pallets from China, was identified by US biologists in 2002, and made its way into our local forests with a devastating effect. Twenty-six species of butterfly that depend on the ash as their host are disappearing with the falling trees. The economic loss in the US alone is estimated at $282 billion.
And, there are more…Phragmites, Garlic Mustard, Dog Strangling Vine, ………are you aware?
David Nisbet, one of the speakers for the upcoming SWWA Information Day is the Partnership & Science Manager at the Invasive Species Centre (invasivespeciescentre.ca), headquartered at Sault Ste. Marie, ON. He studied the ecological impacts and management of the emerald ash borer in Ontario forests during his post graduate years at University of Guelph and then worked with the Canadian Forest Service on emerald ash borer detection and trapping. His talk, “Invasive Species Risks to Southern Ontario Forests” will enlighten all.
Larry Cornelis, the other speaker for the SWWA event, is a Certified Horticulturist and Habitat Specialist with Return the Landscape Sarnia (returnthelandscape.com). He is a sought after flora and fauna inventory consultant and a popular speaker with naturalist clubs and associations. His talk, entitled “The History of Our Local Forests”, is sure to be interesting and informative.
The South West Woodlot Association Annual Meeting and Information Day will be held on Saturday, February 29, 1:00 to 4:00 at the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre Complex, 3310 Walnut St., Alvinston, ON
About the South West Woodlot Association
The South West Woodlot Association is a chapter of the Ontario Woodlot Association. It has as its mission to encourage sustainable forest practices by helping landowners acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to maintain their woodlots. The Chapter has members from Lambton, Chatham-Kent and Essex Counties, and is situated solely within the Carolinian Ecological Zone. The South West Chapter invites anyone with an interest in trees and forests to become members.
South West Woodlot Association Annual Meeting and Information Day scheduled for February 29th, 2020
For More Information Contact:
David Braet
swwaowa@gmail.com
-or-
Tim Payne
Manager of Forestry
St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
tpayne@scrca.on.ca
(519) 245-3710 Ext. 224
