Alison Kirkpatrick, monitoring and information management specialist with the Ontario Invading Species Awareness Program shows Jeff Leal, minister of rural affairs and MPP for Peterborough how to use the new EDDMapS Ontario app.
Anglers and hunters concerned about invasives like Asian carp, giant hogweed and zebra mussels can now report their sightings via mobile device.
Yesterday, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), the Invasive Species Centre (ISC) and the University of Georgia Centre for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health officially launched the EDDMapS Ontario website and mobile app for Android and Apple devices.
EDDMapS Ontario allows users to upload a photo of a suspected invasive and easily map it so that it can be followed up on by a network of expert verifiers.
“Invasive species, if they arrive and take hold, can irreversibly alter our landscapes and waterways,” said Dilhari Fernando, ISC executive director. “EDDMapS will enable citizens to contribute to protecting Ontario’s forests, natural lands, lakes and rivers from the serious economic, environmental and social costs of invaders.”
You can start tracking invasive species at www.eddmaps.org/Ontario or by visiting the Google Play or Apple iTunes app stores.
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