(Wild Parsnip south of Abbott Street. Photo: Stittsville Central)
This week, Allyson Downs, the Director of Parks Maintenance & Forestry Services for the City, advised that the second round of spraying to contain the Wild Parsnip in the Ottawa area would take place this week. In June, following the first round of mapping, 71 parks and hydro corridors received spot treatment of Glyphosate, and 65 storm water management facilities received spot treatment of Navius Flex.
“With the second round of mapping complete, operations will begin August 10th moving to identified locations from west to east and lasting approximately one week. To minimize disturbance to our parks and as per the Ontario Pesticide Act, only locations deemed to have a moderate to high level of infestation and a high risk to the public will be spot sprayed with Glyphosate. In other areas, lower levels of wild parsnip infestation will be mowed or pulled by hand. Where spraying occurs, residents should expect to see wilting or discolouration in two to four days. The full impact of the spray could take up to 20 days. The contractor will sign locations before spraying and remove the signage once the spraying is complete,” shared Downs in a memo to Council last week.
Parks Maintenance and Forestry Services is also responsible for wild parsnip in storm water management areas and hydro corridors. At these locations, the herbicide Navius Flex will be applied, and residents should start seeing the early effects within a few hours and the full effect after several weeks.
Residents will see crews of eight in the proposed locations, equipped with backpack-style sprayers.
In this second round of treatment, starting August 10th, 185 parks, hydro corridors and stormwater management facilities are scheduled to receive treatment of Glyphosate or Navius Flex.
The following locations in Ward 6 – Stittsville will be affected:
The use of either Glyphosate or Navius Flex is determined by provincial legislation. Health Canada re-evaluated glyphosate in 2017. After assessing human health and environmental impacts, the federal department found that there is no significant risk to either when the product is used properly. In Ontario, herbicide use is regulated under the Pesticides Act. While many herbicides are banned, those containing glyphosate may be used to control plants like wild parsnip that are poisonous to humans upon contact.