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Invasive plants can reduce biodiversity and compromise ecosystem function by out-competing native species, altering nutrient cycling, destabilizing soils and causing erosion, among other impacts. Prevention of colonization by weedy invaders is achieved through rapid restoration and reduced disturbance, both providing an advantage to native species to resist future invasions by non-natives. Jasper National Park monitors non-native species and carry outs control measures where non-native species have the potential to threaten vulnerable habitats and ecosystem in the Park.

Aquatic fish data are collected across watercourses in Jasper National Park using a variety of fish sampling methods in order to inventory fish diversity, distribution, and relative densities over time. Data collected provide resource management some of the necessary information needed to prepare stock-specific plans to conserve, manage, and where appropriate restore native fish and their habitats in Jasper National Park.

Non-native plants have invaded most low-elevation habitats and physically disturbed sites in Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP). Parks Canada devotes substantial resources annually to efforts to control or eradicate the most invasive and persistent non-native plants. A Non-native Plant Condition Monitoring protocol was developed to detect changes in the abundance and distribution of non-native plant species across vulnerable regions of WLNP, and to gain an understanding of the severities and differences in impacts that non-native plants have on native plant communities. Relative abundance (I.e.

Lakes and ponds are a significant aquatic feature in Waterton Lakes National Park. Due to the extreme topography, many of these water bodies were fishless prior to historic stocking. Historic stocking practices have highly altered fish
communities. In many locations the presence of nonnative fish is putting native fish populations in jeopardy.

This is a backpack electrofishing based survey that enumerates all species caught a random selection of sites within a given watershed. Cascade, Panther and Spray watersheds were sampled in the fall of 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively. The purpose is to repeat these surveys every 10 years to quantify changes to the distribution of native and non-native fishes.

Non-native mammal species are monitored annually in areas critical for the protection important seabird islands. Remote cameras are deployed for 15-days to annually detect any changes to the mammal community at key sites. Non-native species pose the greatest ecological threat in Gwaii Haanas. Deer dramatically alter the vegetation and rats, racoons and squirrels impact native species both directly (predation) and indirectly (competition).

Terra Nova National Park monitors non-native mammal browse pressure on forest plant communities on transects and plots.

Only 2.1% of the Foothills Parkland ecoregion is protected within any federal or provincial park in Canada. Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP) is the only national park where this scenic and biologically diverse ecoregion is protected. The scarcity of fire and lack of bison grazing have contributed to encroachment of aspen forest and homogenization of the fescue grassland. This area also has the highest occurrence of non-native invasive plants and supports the highest level of visitation (> 95%) in the Park.

Banff National Park monitors invasive alien plants with the use of permanent, random stratified, belt transects established in the alpine. Occurrence frequency of all detected non-native species is recorded along a belt transect.

Kootenay National Park monitors invasive alien plants with the use of permanent, random stratified, belt transects established in the alpine. Occurrence frequency of all detected non-native species is recorded along a belt transect.