MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Spring 2019

SPRING 2019 ML BLUE 29 old-fashioned, “B-movie creature invasion” approach reached more than 1.4 million people. “We wanted them to form an emotional connection to our campaign by showcasing how invasive species could threaten the activities they loved so much,” she says. Daniel Simberloff, Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Tennessee, says that while invasive species have some mainstream attention, people still don’t understand the scope of the issues. He says people introduce half of all invasive plants, sometimes as ornamentals or crops. “Species can hitchhike if they’re carried in container on ships or in people’s luggage. Marine invaders have been carried on oyster shells,” Simberloff adds. It’s one aspect of invasional meltdown, where invaders act like wedding crashers by helping each other sabotage whatever environment they enter. Stuart Livingstone says dog-strangling vine and other species look colourful and healthy because they have no predators and overtake the habitat. His research from 2017 shows how invaders go undetected. He surveyed 376 park visitors in Toronto’s Rouge National Urban Park asking them if dog-strangling vine did any harm to the park’s ecosystem and aesthetic. Half of them had never heard of dog- strangling vine and 1 in 3 people surveyed didn’t think of the invader as an enemy. “There is invasive species denialism that’s even creeping up in academia. Some scientists won’t admit the plants have negative effects,” Livingstone says. “People don’t realize it’s strangling everything around it.” He believes there’s still more to do. “We need to be creative in the way that we’re communicating the science to the public. Giving them eye-catching names and creating these campaigns can help people realize what these plants really do.” invadingspecies.com Ontario’s MNR launched a campaign to raise awareness about invasives, complete with posters of giant carp attacking Tilley-hat wearing paddlers on a Canadian lake. – Photos : © Semaphore - Shutterstock. Martin Fourcade NO MATTER THE WEATHER Designed for athletes riding on all types of terrain and in all conditions, REACTIV photochromic technology immediately adapts your lenses to the prevailing light conditions. Lenses get darker or lighter in response to the intensity of the light. Zebra, Zebra Light, Zebra Light Red, Cameleon and Octopus; whatever the weather, Julbo REACTIV lenses guarantee you perfect vision and long-lasting protection for your eyes. Martin Fourcade – Biathlete 10 Time individual world champion See all our photochromic technologies at julbo-canada.ca