7.0 NEXT STEPS

7.1 Incorporate Invasive Plant Management into Land Use Planning

Municipalities are responsible for land use planning, which ensures that natural heritage features and resources are considered in community development. It also helps to plan for the incorporation of goals such as an increase in urban forests, and a reduction in urban sprawl. There are considerations around development and the spread of invasive plants. The incorporation of invasive plant management strategies into development plans will help to address this issue. It is also important to look at the sources of topsoil/fill brought into and exported from development sites and what they could contain.

The OIPC has created the Grow Me Instead Guide which lists a number of alternative plants to many common garden invaders. This guide is geared towards individual landowners and can be incorporated into new housing developments as information to new homeowners.