invasions, readers can visit the trail in Stratgartney Park where periwinkle (Vinca minor), invading from 
     
     the nearby homestead has eliminated the native ground plants in its path. Travellers along the all-weather 
     
     highway north of Summerside may notice that wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) has taken over stands 
     
     of alders and other small trees and shrubs; this vinelike plant is also found in some forests in eastern 
     
     Prince County. These are only a few of our invasive species, a subject which has not received much 
     
     attention on P.E.I. Island Nature Trust is trying to assess to what extent some of our more "natural" 
     
    
   
   
    
     habitats have been influenced by non-native species, and should have results for older hardwood forests 
     
     later this year. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ISLAND'S MAJOR WILDLIFE GROUPS OPPOSE COYOTE BOUNTY DECISION: 
     
    
   
   
    
     On April 24th, the Legislative Assembly of Prince 
     
     Edward Island passed Motion 24, a resolution which in part 
     
     stated that “this Legislative Assembly support the seasonal 
     
     bounty on coyotes during the annual trapping season to 
     
     control the number of coyotes”. Shortly thereafter, six of 
     
     Prince Edward Island's major wildlife and conservation 
     
     groups issued a press release in which they express their 
     
     unanimous opposition to this Legislative Assembly decision. 
     
     The Natural History Society or Prince Edward Island was 
     
     one of the six. The others were the PEI Wildlife Federation, 
     
     PEI Trappers Association, Atlantic Salmon Federation, 
     
     Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Island Nature Trust. 
     
     Collectively the groups represent thousands of Islanders from 
     
     across the province. 
     
    

    
     There have been a number of statements made on the control of coyotes by livestock producers 
     
     and groups since the coyote became established on Prince Edward Island. The available scientific 
     
     information, and it is extensive, indicates that bounties do not work. Furthermore, they are costly and 
     
     divert funds from other needed programs. Coyote food studies have been conducted to enlighten various 
     
     parties on the feeding habits of the coyote. In the 19805, Nova Scotia introduced a $50 bounty on coyotes, 
     
     but the population continued to grow at the same rate it did in New Brunswick where no bounty was 
     
     implemented. Nova Scotia eventually cancelled their bounty program. Government wildlife biologists, 
     
     conservation officers, and farm organizations have been attempting to educate those who might be 
     
     impacted on control procedures that work. Government established a policy for the control of problem 
     
     coyotes. 
     
    

    
     In addition, there has been a long history of the failures of bounties on Prince Edward Island. The 
     
     skunk was the subject of heated debate in the Legislative Assembly in the 19605 before scientific 
     
     information finally led to its removal. In light of this history, the Legislative Assembly's decision to 
     
     support a bounty came as a surprise to the groups. The Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and 
     
     Environment and former Minister Wes MacAleer voted against the resolution. 
     
    

    
     As Ben Hoteling, President of the Natural History Society, stated, "It is important that we develop 
     
     wildlife management regulations based on science rather than emotion." More work by government is 
     
     now underway on the identification of methods to minimize the impact of the Eastern Coyote on 
     
     livestock.