Invasive plants are harmful non-native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that are introduced (whether purposely or accidentally) into an ecosystem in which they did not evolve naturally, negatively affecting local habitats. In the Greater Toronto Area, many introduced species—including garlic mustard, European Buckthorn, Norway maple and dog-strangling vine—have disrupted native habitats that are critical for local wildlife and the health of our natural systems.

Understanding landscape and biodiversity are key to building a sustainable built environment, and requirements on plant selections are increasingly common requirements in municipal sustainability strategies including the Toronto Green Standards.

Join us for this one-hour introductory lecture as Jim Dougan, senior ecologist and Director with Dougan & Associates, Ecological Consulting and Design, introduces us to the issue of invasive plant species, recounting how we have come full circle with invasive plant issues in our landscape and some current initiatives for control or management. Through a number of case studies, attendees will gain an understanding of the difference between native, non-native and invasive species and current strategies for the control and management of invasive species.

Speaker: Jim Dougan