Thriving plant and animal populations are a good thing, right? Well, sometimes that's not the case. Today we will be talking about invasive species and how their success in certain areas can decimate ecosystems. We will also take a look around for invasives in our own backyards and talk about what to do when we find them. Let's begin!

Invasive Species in the Area

Here at Nuhop, we don't have the animals mentioned in the videos, but we do have other invasive species. There is evidence of some insects, like the emerald ash borer, and an invasion of aquatic creatures such as the zebra mussel. The most commonly seen invasive species at Nuhop are the non-native plants found all over camp and throughout the Mohican-Memorial State Forest. Below you will find a guide to the top 10 invasive plants in Ohio. Take a look at the guide, then watch the video to see Rainbow point out some of these invasive species around camp.

Why is my leg sore? I went to the beach to catch some invasive species.

It was going well until I pulled a mussel!

The Famous Local Phenomenon:

Ohio Black Squirrels

Kent State University is known for its unusual rodent population, consisting mainly of black squirrels. They're not considered native, but are they an invasive species? Let's look at the facts.

• Ten black squirrels were imported from Canada in 1961 and released in the city of Kent, Ohio.

• Squirrels of other colors have become hard to find in the area since then.

• Their natural predators include hawks, weasels, raccoons, snakes, owls, foxes, cats and dogs.

• They live in harmony with other types of rodents.

So what do you think? Are they invasive?

Trick question! Though popularly believed to be a different species, the black fur is actually just a rare genetic anomaly that has existed in the midwestern united states' squirrel populations all along. The reason they seemed to have taken over is because the very rare coloring became more common when more squirrels who had the gene were brought to the area. In conclusion, black squirrels are actually the same type of squirrels that have lived in Kent the whole time. They just have different coloring because more of their offspring carry the gene that used to be quite rare.

So we've seen bad non-native species, good ones, and sneaky tricksters. Now let's talk about what we can do with this knowledge to help our environment.

Challenge yourself to take these steps to improve your local ecosystem:

• Remove or report invasive plants in your area. Search online and check with your local Department of Wildlife or Department of Natural Resources for details of which species are invasive in your area and how to deal with them.

• Plant native plants in your yard.

• Research pollinators in your region and which plants they like. Planting their favorites can help them thrive.

• Clean up litter. Humans fit some definitions of invasive species, and we do a lot of damage.

• Do not release pets into the wild! Your fish, frogs, snakes, or cats could cause lots of destruction of local wildlife.

Outdoor Challenge: Non-native Bingo

If you live in Ohio, print out the sheet below and try to find these plants in your yard, local park, or throughout the city. If you live elsewhere, find out if these plants exist near you. If not, you can make your own checklist or bingo sheet with invasive species near you. While you're out looking, consider challenging yourself to complete another task from the above suggestions. Keep in mind that not all of these non-natives are harmful to the environment, and the ones that should be removed vary from one region to the next. Only remove species that you know to be truly invasive in your area.

Review and Reflection

Alright, let's reflect on today's journey. Did you find a lot of invasive species? It's time to show what you've learned from your investigation. Answer the questions below and then take the quiz.

1. Do you consider humans to be an invasive species? Why or why not?

2. If you were going to plant a garden today, what is one native plant you would like to include? What is one pollinator-friendly plant you could add to attract bees, bats, or butterflies?

3. If we had the ability to eradicate all invasive species worldwide, would that be a good idea? What effects could it have on the environment if all non-native species suddenly disappeared?

Quick Quiz

Here we go; time to show what you know! Feel free to look back at the lesson to refresh your memory.

About the Author

Rainbow*

There are so many colors of the rainbow, and she likes to use every one! When Rainbow graduated from high school, she went to Kent State University to study fine art, but found that her favorite time of year was the time she spent working at summer camps in between semesters. If you've been to an Ohio Girl Scout camp lately, you've probably seen her there! After earning a BFA in painting and sculpture, she came to Nuhop to work in a camp setting year-round. Her favorite activities are campfires, the high ropes course, and rock climbing. She can't wait to see the smiling faces of all her campers when they come to Nuhop once again!

*The Nuhop Outdoor Education Staff use "nature names" when working with students. The reason for these nature names is twofold: first it gives them a built-in conversation starter with students, and second, it provides them a level of personal privacy when working with over 4000 students in a given year.