EDDMapS Ontario

What is EDDMapS?

Real time tracking of invasive species occurrences
Local and national distribution maps
Electronic early detection reporting tools
Library of identification and management information

What are Invasive Species?

Alien species are plants, animals, and mico-organisms introduced by human action outside their natural past or present distribution. Invasive species are defined as harmful alien species whose introduction or spread threatens the environment, the economy, or society, including human health. Ontario's definition of an invasive species may include species native to Ontario, that have been introduced to a new geographic region due to human activity.

How Can I Help?

Educate yourself on known invasive species in your area
Never plant, transport, spread, or release invasive species
Report invasive species to EDDMapS Ontario or the Invading Species Hotline
1-800-563-7711

How Can I Access the Data?

State and County Distribution Maps
Point Maps
Using GIS software such as ArcGIS
Custom Queries and Downloads to XLS, KML and Shapefiles

Can I Report from a Smartphone?

Yes, regional apps are available for iPhones, iPads and Android devices. These apps include high-resolution images, descriptions and distribution maps. Users can take pictures and use the built in GPS to quickly report from the field.

Are Educational Resources Available?

Yes, EDDMapS is developed and run by the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health that runs the Bugwood Image Database System and Bugwood Wiki. These resources provide over 50,000 images and over 1000 articles on invasive species.

Who is Involved?

Forty U.S. States and Four Canadian Provinces have active EDDMapS programs. EDDMapS has national support from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Do you accept Bulk Data?

Yes, data can be submitted through the My EDDMapS page via the "Upload Data" link. Directions for data collection and entry, templates for data collection, and a data dictionary are available on the Tools & Training page. File types accepted are csv, xls/xlsx, kml/kmz, gbd, and gis files.

Smartphone App

The EDDMapS Ontario app brings the power of EDDMapS to your smartphone. Now you can submit invasive species observations directly with your smartphone from the field. These reports are uploaded to EDDMapS and e-mailed directly to verifiers for review.