The environmental group Georgian Bay Forever is keeping a close eye on invasive species in and around the waters of the bay.
Communications Director Laura Thipphawong said their organization uses research to try to ensure ecologic health and balance for the water and shoreline. She pointed out one focus is research and action regarding bio-diversity and invasive species
“A lot of which can seem kind of harmless, you don’t even know they’re there, for example the zebra mussels, because they’re right at the bottom,” said Thippawong. “That’s what makes our organization unique. We have the equipment, the tools and the expertise to go down there and see what’s happening.”
She added invasive mussels can actually make the water too clear.
“When the water is too clear it affects the biodiversity deep down, and when that happens the food chain can crumble,” she explained. “And when that happens, an overabundance of one kind of animal, it affects the fishing, it affects the water clarity and it affects other animals all the way up to the top.”
“They’re actually eating up so much of the food that’s in that water that it’s making the water exceptionally clear,” continued Thippawong. “Which is a big problem actually, because down there in the depths, the clearer it gets, the deeper down, the further the sunlight can get down, which actually causes issues with plant growth and bio diversity of plants and animals.”
Phragmites are another invasive species members of the group tackle.
“We’ve mapped over 900 stands and we have 80 per cent of those under control right now,” she said. “If no one were doing that, the shore would look different. The access that we have to Georgian Bay right now, I can proudly say, is affected by our work, because we eradicate hundreds of plants.”
