Invasive Species Removals in Public Greenspaces
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Wild Parsnip Treatment 2021
This memo is to inform you that the 2021 Wild Parsnip Program will start on May 25, 2021, weather permitting. Similar to years past, the goal is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in highly infested areas while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not adversely impacted. In total, Council has approved $298,000 for this year’s strategy.
The 2021 Wild Parsnip Strategy will allow our team to:
• Continue and expand the application of Clearview herbicide to highly infested areas;
• Continue mowing operations, adjusting frequency and timing to best coincide with herbicide applications;
• Re-map infestation areas and levels;
• Continue the communication and awareness campaign in collaboration with partners in Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), National Capital Commission (NCC), etc.;
• Provide weekly updates for Councillors on roadside and parkland spraying locations within each ward; and
• Prepare communication materials for Councillors to share with residents.
Please see the attachments for a full listing of the infestation levels and planned treatment locations on roadsides, as well as a list of the planned treatment locations in parkland. Approximately 935 lane kms of roadsides/pathways and over 236 locations of parkland will be treated this year. Roadside cutting is currently underway and additional herbicide application may be considered again for the fall season.
In order to notify the public of the herbicide application, a Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)-approved “Notice of Herbicide Use” advertisement will appear in local newspapers one week prior to the start of spraying. However, given the large number of public access points for parks, signs will continue to be posted every 100 m.
Similar to last year, rural residents who do not wish to have the roadside adjacent to their property sprayed will be given the option to opt-out of the Wild Parsnip Program. Should a resident opt out of the program, it will become their responsibility to manage any wild parsnip infestation adjacent to their property, as required by the Weed Control Act, 1990. Information has been shared on how to opt-out as part of the communications to residents on our website and in print materials. A copy of the letter that will be sent to residents is in the attachments for your information. For additional information on wild parsnip, please consult the City of Ottawa’s website. For further information on the City’s Wild Parsnip Strategy, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Website: https://ottawa.ca/en/living-ottawa/environment-conservation-and-climate/wildlife-and-plants/plants/invasive-species#wild-parsnip
This memo is to inform you that the 2021 Wild Parsnip Program will start on May 25, 2021, weather permitting. Similar to years past, the goal is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in highly infested areas while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not adversely impacted. In total, Council has approved $298,000 for this year’s strategy.
The 2021 Wild Parsnip Strategy will allow our team to:
• Continue and expand the application of Clearview herbicide to highly infested areas;
• Continue mowing operations, adjusting frequency and timing to best coincide with herbicide applications;
• Re-map infestation areas and levels;
• Continue the communication and awareness campaign in collaboration with partners in Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), National Capital Commission (NCC), etc.;
• Provide weekly updates for Councillors on roadside and parkland spraying locations within each ward; and
• Prepare communication materials for Councillors to share with residents.
Please see the attachments for a full listing of the infestation levels and planned treatment locations on roadsides, as well as a list of the planned treatment locations in parkland. Approximately 935 lane kms of roadsides/pathways and over 236 locations of parkland will be treated this year. Roadside cutting is currently underway and additional herbicide application may be considered again for the fall season.
In order to notify the public of the herbicide application, a Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)-approved “Notice of Herbicide Use” advertisement will appear in local newspapers one week prior to the start of spraying. However, given the large number of public access points for parks, signs will continue to be posted every 100 m.
Similar to last year, rural residents who do not wish to have the roadside adjacent to their property sprayed will be given the option to opt-out of the Wild Parsnip Program. Should a resident opt out of the program, it will become their responsibility to manage any wild parsnip infestation adjacent to their property, as required by the Weed Control Act, 1990. Information has been shared on how to opt-out as part of the communications to residents on our website and in print materials. A copy of the letter that will be sent to residents is in the attachments for your information. For additional information on wild parsnip, please consult the City of Ottawa’s website. For further information on the City’s Wild Parsnip Strategy, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Website: https://ottawa.ca/en/living-ottawa/environment-conservation-and-climate/wildlife-and-plants/plants/invasive-species#wild-parsnip
This memo is to inform you that the 2020 Wild Parsnip Program will start on May 19, 2020, weather permitting. Similar to years past, the goal is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in areas that are highly infested while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not adversely impacted. In total, Council has approved $198,000 for this year’s strategy.
The 2020 Strategy consists of the following:
In order to notify the public of the herbicide application, staff has received from the MECP the approval for alternative notification where spraying is being conducted. Rather than placing signs every 100 m along roadside spraying locations, an MECP-approved “Notice of Herbicide Use” advertisement will appear in local newspapers on May 16th, 2020. However, given the large number of public access points for parks, signs will continue to be posted every 100 m.
Similar to last year, rural residents who do not wish to have the roadside adjacent to their property sprayed have been given the option to opt-out of the Wild Parsnip program. Should a resident opt out of the program, it will become their responsibility to manage any Wild Parsnip infestation adjacent to their property, as required by the Weed Control Act, 1990. Information has been shared on how to opt-out as part of the communications to residents on our website and in print materials. For additional information on wild parsnip, please consult the City of Ottawa’s website. For further information on the City’s Wild Parsnip Strategy, please do not hesitate to contact me at extension 26744.
_____________________________________________________
Nous vous adressons cette note pour vous annoncer que le Programme de lutte contre le panais sauvage 2020 sera lancé le 19 mai 2020, si la météo est clémente. L’objectif consiste, comme dans les années passées, à réduire la croissance du panais sauvage dans les secteurs fortement infestés, tout en veillant à ne pas produire d’effet nocif sur les secteurs écologiquement vulnérables et sur la sécurité publique. Le Conseil a approuvé un financement total de 198 000 $ pour la stratégie de cette année.
La Stratégie de 2020 consiste à :
Afin d’annoncer au public cette campagne d’épandage de l’herbicide, le personnel a reçu, de la part du MEPP, l’approbation permettant d’envoyer d’autres avis sur les points où se déroule l’épandage. Au lieu de poser des panneaux indicateurs à tous les 100 mètres le long des points d’épandage en bordure des routes, l’« Avis public d’utilisation de pesticide » approuvé par le MEPP sera publié dans les quotidiens locaux le 16 mai 2020. Toutefois, compte tenu du nombre considérable de points d’accès public dans les parcs, nous continuerons de poser des panneaux indicateurs à tous les 100 mètres.
Les résidents des zones rurales qui ne souhaitent pas que l’herbicide soit épandu sur le bord de la route voisin de leur propriété peuvent à leur gré, comme l’an dernier, se désengager du Programme de lutte contre le panais sauvage. Les résidents qui se désengagent de ce programme devront eux-mêmes gérer l’infestation de panais sauvage dans les alentours de leur propriété, comme l’exige la Loi de 1990 sur la destruction des mauvaises herbes. Nous avons donné de l’information sur la marche à suivre pour se désengager dans les communiqués adressés aux résidents sur notre site Web et dans des documents imprimés. Pour en savoir plus sur le panais sauvage, veuillez consulter le site Web de la Ville d’Ottawa. Pour de plus amples renseignements sur la Stratégie de lutte contre le panais sauvage de la Ville, veuillez ne pas hésiter à communiquer avec moi au poste 26744.
The 2020 Strategy consists of the following:
- Continue and expand Clearview herbicide application to highly infested areas
- Continue with mowing, adjusting frequency and timing to best coincide with herbicide applications
- Re-map infestation levels
- Continue the communication and awareness campaign in collaboration with partners in Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), National Capital Commission (NCC), etc.
- Staff will prepare weekly updates for Councillors on roadside and parkland spraying locations within each ward
- Communication materials (a postcard and an information sheet) are available for distribution to Councillors for their constituents.
In order to notify the public of the herbicide application, staff has received from the MECP the approval for alternative notification where spraying is being conducted. Rather than placing signs every 100 m along roadside spraying locations, an MECP-approved “Notice of Herbicide Use” advertisement will appear in local newspapers on May 16th, 2020. However, given the large number of public access points for parks, signs will continue to be posted every 100 m.
Similar to last year, rural residents who do not wish to have the roadside adjacent to their property sprayed have been given the option to opt-out of the Wild Parsnip program. Should a resident opt out of the program, it will become their responsibility to manage any Wild Parsnip infestation adjacent to their property, as required by the Weed Control Act, 1990. Information has been shared on how to opt-out as part of the communications to residents on our website and in print materials. For additional information on wild parsnip, please consult the City of Ottawa’s website. For further information on the City’s Wild Parsnip Strategy, please do not hesitate to contact me at extension 26744.
_____________________________________________________
Nous vous adressons cette note pour vous annoncer que le Programme de lutte contre le panais sauvage 2020 sera lancé le 19 mai 2020, si la météo est clémente. L’objectif consiste, comme dans les années passées, à réduire la croissance du panais sauvage dans les secteurs fortement infestés, tout en veillant à ne pas produire d’effet nocif sur les secteurs écologiquement vulnérables et sur la sécurité publique. Le Conseil a approuvé un financement total de 198 000 $ pour la stratégie de cette année.
La Stratégie de 2020 consiste à :
- poursuivre et étendre l’épandage de l’herbicide Clearview dans les zones fortement infestées;
- continuer de tondre l’herbe, en adaptant le mieux possible la fréquence et le calendrier aux opérations d’épandage de l’herbicide;
- recartographier les niveaux d’infestation;
- poursuivre la campagne de communication et de sensibilisation en collaboration avec les partenaires, soit Santé publique Ottawa (SPO), le ministère de l’Environnement, de la Protection de la nature et des Parcs (MEPP) et la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN), entre autres,
- le personnel de la Ville préparera, à l’intention des conseillers municipaux, des comptes rendus hebdomadaires à propos des zones d’épandage en bordure des routes et sur les terrains à vocation de parcs dans chaque quartier;
- on peut distribuer des documents de communication (une carte postale et une fiche d’information) parmi les conseillers municipaux pour qu’ils les fassent suivre à leurs commettants.
Afin d’annoncer au public cette campagne d’épandage de l’herbicide, le personnel a reçu, de la part du MEPP, l’approbation permettant d’envoyer d’autres avis sur les points où se déroule l’épandage. Au lieu de poser des panneaux indicateurs à tous les 100 mètres le long des points d’épandage en bordure des routes, l’« Avis public d’utilisation de pesticide » approuvé par le MEPP sera publié dans les quotidiens locaux le 16 mai 2020. Toutefois, compte tenu du nombre considérable de points d’accès public dans les parcs, nous continuerons de poser des panneaux indicateurs à tous les 100 mètres.
Les résidents des zones rurales qui ne souhaitent pas que l’herbicide soit épandu sur le bord de la route voisin de leur propriété peuvent à leur gré, comme l’an dernier, se désengager du Programme de lutte contre le panais sauvage. Les résidents qui se désengagent de ce programme devront eux-mêmes gérer l’infestation de panais sauvage dans les alentours de leur propriété, comme l’exige la Loi de 1990 sur la destruction des mauvaises herbes. Nous avons donné de l’information sur la marche à suivre pour se désengager dans les communiqués adressés aux résidents sur notre site Web et dans des documents imprimés. Pour en savoir plus sur le panais sauvage, veuillez consulter le site Web de la Ville d’Ottawa. Pour de plus amples renseignements sur la Stratégie de lutte contre le panais sauvage de la Ville, veuillez ne pas hésiter à communiquer avec moi au poste 26744.
Public notice of pesticide use
The City of Ottawa intends to control wild parsnip in areas city-wide along rural and suburban roadsides. Spot spraying will continue throughout the summer months as needed within the City of Ottawa. The program will use Clearview Herbicide (PCP #29752, containing aminopyralid and metsulfuron-methyl) and Gateway adjuvant (PCP# 31470, containing mineral oil – paraffin base (adjuvants), surfactant blend) under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada). Treatment for wild parsnip will commence on May 19, 2020 weather permitting, and will end on October 16, 2020. The City has retained the services of Wagar & Corput Weed Control Inc to apply the herbicide. For further information, please contact the City at 3-1-1.
(City of Ottawa website)
2019 Wild Parsnip Coverage and 2020 Wild Parsnip Strategy
For more information about wild parsnip, click here.
Wild Parsnip
What is it?
Wild Parsnip is an invasive plant that is increasingly common within the City of Ottawa in areas of uncultivated land, roadside ditches, nature trails, as well as on and surrounding rural and residential properties.
Risks:
Wild Parsnip may pose a health risk to humans. The plant sap contains chemicals that may cause skin and eye irritation and make the skin prone to burning and blistering when exposed to the sun. The blisters typically occur one to two days after contact with the plant. This can result in long-term scarring of the skin.
Identification:
Early Growth:
In the first year of growth, low-growing non-flowering rosettes of leaves form with a cluster of spindly, compound leaves that resemble celery leaves.
Wild Parsnip is an invasive plant that is increasingly common within the City of Ottawa in areas of uncultivated land, roadside ditches, nature trails, as well as on and surrounding rural and residential properties.
Risks:
Wild Parsnip may pose a health risk to humans. The plant sap contains chemicals that may cause skin and eye irritation and make the skin prone to burning and blistering when exposed to the sun. The blisters typically occur one to two days after contact with the plant. This can result in long-term scarring of the skin.
Identification:
Early Growth:
In the first year of growth, low-growing non-flowering rosettes of leaves form with a cluster of spindly, compound leaves that resemble celery leaves.
In Bloom:
When Wild Parsnip is in bloom usually in the second and third year plants have tall, branched yellow flowering stalks that usually bloom in early June to late July.
When Wild Parsnip is in bloom usually in the second and third year plants have tall, branched yellow flowering stalks that usually bloom in early June to late July.
Mature Plant:
Starting in August the blooming plant will begin to turn brown and the leaves and stems will begin to dry up. This means that the toxic sap from the plant will also begin to dry up, and contact with the plant is less likely to cause a reaction. Once the plant is completely dry the seeds will fall to the ground.
Seeds are flat and round. It is a biennial plant, reproducing only by seed. The seeds can lie dormant for years making it even more challenging to control.
Starting in August the blooming plant will begin to turn brown and the leaves and stems will begin to dry up. This means that the toxic sap from the plant will also begin to dry up, and contact with the plant is less likely to cause a reaction. Once the plant is completely dry the seeds will fall to the ground.
Seeds are flat and round. It is a biennial plant, reproducing only by seed. The seeds can lie dormant for years making it even more challenging to control.
How to Avoid
If Exposed to Plant:
If you are exposed to the plant sap, wash the contaminated area(s) thoroughly as soon as possible, and seek medical attention if skin irritation occurs.
- It is recommended that the public stay on the groomed areas of parks, roadsides and pathways where there are less instances of wild parsnip.
- When working around Wild Parsnip or when walking through dense vegetation, wear goggles, gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Thoroughly wash boots and gloves with soap and water before taking off your protective clothing.
- Children should be reminded not to pick wild flowers. Ensure children are able to identify Wild Parsnip in order to avoid exposure.
If Exposed to Plant:
If you are exposed to the plant sap, wash the contaminated area(s) thoroughly as soon as possible, and seek medical attention if skin irritation occurs.