Invasive Species: What you Can Do

 

When these non-native plants and animals establish themselves in our local ecosystems, they outcompete and dislodge species that have evolved specifically to live there. Invasive species affect us by degrading our soil, leading to erosion that can lower the quality of our water. They crowd out and can kill important tree species that provide shade, carbon storage and habitat for native wildlife. And they can even increase the risk of wildfire.

The best way to fight invasive species is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. You can help stop the introduction and spread of invasive species. Help protect native plants and animals by following these six easy guidelines:

 

  1. Verify that the plants you are buying for your yard or garden are not invasive. Replace invasive plants in your garden with non-invasive alternatives. Ask your local nursery staff for help in identifying invasive plants!
  2. When boating, clean your boat thoroughly before transporting it to a different body of water.
  3. Clean your boots before you hike in a new area to get rid of hitchhiking weed seeds and pathogens.
  4. Don’t “pack a pest” when traveling. Fruits and vegetables, plants, insects and animals can carry pests or become invasive themselves. Don’t move firewood (it can harbor forest pests), clean your bags and boots after each hike, and throw out food before you travel from place to place.
  5. Don’t release aquarium fish and plants, live bait or other exotic animals into the wild. If you plan to own an exotic pet, do your research and plan ahead to make sure you can commit to looking after it.
  6. Volunteer at your local park, refuge or other wildlife area to help remove invasive species. Help educate others about the threat. You can even volunteer with the Killarney Mountain Meitheal Team 

More on this page also: http://savekillarneynationalpark.com/volunteers/

 

The above information and video was sources at The Nature Conservancy

About Just Forests

We work with people to create a just and sustainable world. By basing our sustainability stories and activities on values-related and universally understood, time-tested, old-fashioned ideas, such as love, family, community, stewardship and citizenship we are helping to create a just and sustainable world. WHY NOT JOIN US AND BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD?

Just Forests is an Irish non-profit founded in 1989. If you would like to know more about our Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) work with Irish schools please visit our main website at: www.justforests.org

Irish Woodworkers for Africa Ltd trading as (T/A) Just Forests ceased trading as a registered charity in 2017 and re-registered the name Just Forests Ltd.

Registered Number:  61243

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We all know money doesn’t grow on trees. But we also know that the goods and services provided by our leafy friends are priceless.

Can you imagine a world without trees and wood?

For over 28 years Just Forests have provided education resources to primary, post-primary and third level students in Ireland on the importance of trees and wood. Our DEAR (development education and awareness raising) programme is very popular with schools but unfortunately our funding has been cut dramatically while our work is more urgent than ever.

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