From Trail to Global Policy
Submitted by Moira Parker
Sources of Knowledge returns May 1–3, 2026, with its annual Forum at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Tobermory. This year’s theme – Invasive Species – brings together local field experience and global research to examine one of the most significant ecological challenges facing the Great Lakes and beyond.
The Forum begins Friday afternoon, May 1, with a guided field walk led by Brian Propelier, Land Stewardship Coordinator with the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Propelier will take a group of up to 25 participants to a section of trail near Malcolm Bluff where invasive plant species were successfully suppressed and native species replanted to restore the natural ecosystem.
The walk offers a rare opportunity to see restoration work in action – how invasive plants are managed, how native communities are re-established, and what long-term stewardship requires. It sets the tone for a weekend focused on defining the problem and exploring our responses.
Friday evening shifts to the international stage with keynote speaker Dr. Peter Stoett, Dean of Social Science and Humanities at Ontario Tech University. Stoett co-chaired the first international assessment of invasive alien species, a global effort involving 145 countries, and co-authored the final report proposing international policy responses to reduce the ecological and social damage caused by invasive species.
His work examines how invasive alien species affect biodiversity and human societies. Stoett has explored links between invasive species, human migration, social inequity, crime, and the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities worldwide. His presentation will frame invasive species as an environmental and social issue, one that crosses borders and disciplines.
Throughout the weekend, additional speakers will examine aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial invasive species, particularly in the Great Lakes region. Once established without natural predators, invasive species can outcompete native plants and animals, alter habitats, and disrupt entire ecosystems. Their impacts extend beyond ecology, contributing to economic losses in forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.
By combining these perspectives, the weekend moves from boots-on-the-ground restoration work to international policy and always circles back to the same question: what does this mean for us here on the Peninsula?
Special Affordable Housing Talk April 2nd
Before the May Forum, Sources of Knowledge is also partnering with the Tobermory Meeting Place for a special spring event focused on housing.
On Thursday, April 2, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., the Parks Canada Visitor Centre will host a screening of Thinking Beyond the Market, a film by Dr. Brian Doucet about genuinely affordable housing. A live Q&A with Doucet will follow the screening. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.
Whether the topic is invasive species or affordable housing, Sources of Knowledge continues to bring people together to think carefully about the forces shaping our environment and our community. More details and Forum registration information will be available at sourcesofknowledge.ca.
