Do you think damaging or killing all broad-leaf plants to control one on Mississippi Mills rural roadsides is short sighted?
Pesticide spraying along your Mississippi Mills County road property (Tatlock Road, Wolf Grove Road, Martin St. North, Appleton Side Road, County Road #29, Blakeney Road, March Road, #49; others) is to start sometime after May 30.
The County of Lanark press release regarding the pesticide spraying program is due out soon, probably in the May 19th issue of local print media. The County has hired a contractor to apply herbicide to certain stretches of County roads beginning sometime after May 30, to control wild parsnip. Meanwhile, the problem, as many people see it, is that the herbicide will damage and kill much more than the wild parsnip (if it indeed does an effective job on that), i.e. it will eradicate most broad-leaf plants. However, the County will not spray in front of your property if you submit a request to them. The full details of the roads and sections of those roads to be sprayed, as well as details to register for NO SPRAY in front of your property and obtain NO SPRAY signs etc. are on the County website at http://www.lanarkcounty.ca/Page1875.aspx
I am writing this story for The Millstone today as a reminder for those who may not be aware, that as mentioned you may request NO SPRAY signs for the area in front of your property if you do not wish to have that area sprayed with the herbicide ClearView which targets and will damage or kill most broad-leaf plants there. I am hoping that people will become informed about the program quickly, and keep up to date in the coming days, and prepare to post NO SPRAY signs prior to May 30 if they wish to do so and to help neighbors and friends on the road to also request and obtain signs from the Lanark County office in Perth. While spraying may not occur where there is no heavy infestation, and is only scheduled for certain road sections, within those sections it is not clear exactly what stretches of roadside will be sprayed. Note that maintained roadsides will not be sprayed but NO SPRAY signs should be requested for those areas also.
WHAT TO DO:
Please help protect our rural roadside plant populations as habitat for pollinators and other species. Here is what you should do if you feel the area in front of your county road should not be sprayed:
- Watch for updates from Lanark County re. the 2016 Roadside Pesticide spraying. Visit Lanark County website for details http://www.lanarkcounty.ca/Page1875.aspx to register your property road front as NO SPRAY. Or email them with questions at roads@lanarkcounty.ca
- Fill out the NO SPRAY sign request form and submit on-line or by email or fax to Lanark County i.e. roads@lanarkcounty.ca
- Or take in the form in person during regular business hours (or send someone else with it) and at same time get your signs with metal legs to put it up, at Lanark County Public Works Building at 99 Christie Lake Road in Perth. We are told signs that at this time, NO SPRAY signs are not available for pick up in Mississippi Mills. According to a County Public Works spokesperson, “property owners should you come in the front doors [at 99 Christie Lake Road] to the reception desk where staff will confirm the information on your form, check the location to see if there are reasons why you may need multiples signs and finally provide you with the signs and instructions on where and when to place them.”
- You may send someone else to Perth with your form if you add a note on it that you have asked them to pick up the signs for you. If in doubt, email Lanark County at roads@lanarkcounty.ca to inquire. Or telephone them at 613-267-1353 or toll free 1-888-952-6275.
Sincerely,
A Mississippi Mills Resident
