THUNDER BAY -- With the warm summer weather and extended daylight hours, officials at the Ontario Invasive Plant Council are taking the opportunity to teach the people of Thunder Bay how to detect an invasive plant.
This flower-like plant is known as garlic mustard. It's an invasive plant that eventually kills out all the other native species.
Members of the community gathered here at McVicar Creek with garden gloves in hand, ready to tackle the only garlic mustard field in Thunder Bay.
Named after its smell and taste, this is the second year the Ontario Invasive Plant Council, along with a group of volunteers, have come out to remove the invasive plant.
Program coordinator Colin Cassin says early detection and rapid response is the key to controlling any invasive plant.
“As soon as these things pop up it’s really important to be able to identify them and then understand how we should act on them quickly because usually once these things get away from us it’s really hard to get them back in check,” Cassin said.
“Garlic Mustard is that perfect case study example. It’s something we found relatively early in its process of coming here to town and reverse what could be a really nasty situation in the future.”
Volunteer Holly Rupert said the Garlic Mustard pick allows the members of the public a chance to learn.
“In a way, this pull is more so that we the members of the public can learn a little bit more about this species and understand what the issue is overall,” Rupert said.
Cassin said the goal is to remove the garlic mustards before they bloom and reproduce.
The group collected approximately 10 garbage bags full of garlic mustard plants last year.
(TBT News)
