Document: 4835684

Council Meeting Date: September 10, 2013 Agenda Item #: 9.1 WEED MANAGEMENT ON DEVELOPED PARKLAND IN STRATHCONA COUNTY Report Purpose To provide an update and overview of weed management on developed parkland in Strathcona County. Council History January 24, 1995 – Council approved the Pesticide Notification Policy. This policy was reviewed on November 20, 2011 and it is scheduled to be reviewed again in November of 2014. Background/Justification Strategic Plan: Governance Community Well Being X Community Sustainability X Economic Viability X Service Delivery X Stakeholder Communication X Resource Management X

Policy: SER-011-019 Pesticide Notification – Developed Parkland – specifies that Strathcona County will apply pesticides in accordance with the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, RSA 2000, c. E-12, will ensure that the public is made aware of pesticide applications to developed parkland and provides a process for residents to request personal notification or no spray zones. Legislative/Legal: To ensure that the municipality follows all government regulations and environmental protocols pertaining to the safe use of pesticides. Economic: To provide weed control in a cost effective manner. Social: Healthy lifestyles include resident use of safe playing fields and open space areas. Environmental: To ensure that weed control is accomplished in a safe, effective, sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. Stakeholder: Strathcona County residents and sports groups. Interdepartmental: Transportation and Agricultural Services and Recreation, Parks and Culture work cooperatively. Summary The attached power point presentation provides Council with an overview of Recreation, Parks and Culture’s overall approach to weed control in the urban area and provides specific information regarding the kinds of pesticides used, the frequency of use, costs, alternative methods of control, notification processes, exemption processes and public education programs. Communications Plan Communication with residents Method of Communication: Letter Newspaper Advertisement X News Release X Meetings Website X Phone X

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Document: 4835684

Enclosure I Weed Management on Developed Parkland in Strathcona County power point (Document: 4885714) Author: Cindy Hanson, Recreation, Parks and Culture Date: August 27, 2013 Directors: Russ Pawlyk, Recreation, Parks and Culture; Ian Gray, Transportation and Agricultural Services Associate Commissioners: Denise Exton, Community Services; Kevin Glebe (Acting), Infrastructure and Planning Services

Weed Management on Developed Parkland in Strathcona County

September 10, 2013

Recreation, Parks and CultureRecreation, Parks and Culture

Enclosure I

Document 4885714

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Pesticide Regulation

Health Canada

Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development

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Pesticides of the Past

Pesticides of the Past

•Long residual in the soil and water•Non-selective•Broadly applied•One mode of action•Volatile carriers•Toxicity to aquatic organisms•Long re-entry intervals•Little to no Personal Protective Equipment requirements•General application techniques

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Pesticides of Today• Re-evaluation of all

herbicides in 15 year intervals to meet current standards

• Highly regulated with stringent testing

• Wider range of mode of action

• Less concentrated with more effective active ingredients

• More specific Personal Protective Equipment requirements

• Do not bio-accumulate• Very specific application

requirements

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Why Do We Control Weeds?

• Provincial legislation requires us to eradicate some noxious weeds and to control others

• Safety concerns for field and outdoor space users

• Community values– Residents prefer weed free – Resident want to reduce or

eliminate pesticide use– Conflicting values

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Trends and InitiativesMunicipalities in Alberta are:

striving to reduce pesticide use

using more labor intensive and expensive alternatives

using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems

promoting environmentally friendly yard and garden care Education Programs

educate residents about responsible use

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ObjectivesAdministration provided Council with an overview Administration provided Council with an overview of our weed management and pesticide reduction of our weed management and pesticide reduction programs programs inin 2005. In 2009 Council was provided 2005. In 2009 Council was provided with an update regarding our progress. with an update regarding our progress.

To achieve the targeted reductions operations have To achieve the targeted reductions operations have utilized:utilized:–– Alternatives to pesticides Alternatives to pesticides –– Promotion of increased tolerance of Promotion of increased tolerance of astheticasthetic weedsweeds–– Education about responsible useEducation about responsible use

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Liters of Active Ingredient per Hectare by Year

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

2000 2005 2008 2012

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Current ProgramFrequency of Weed Control

Turf • Selective Spray Plan –five year spray

rotation• Noxious – as required (spray, cut and

hand pull)

Flower and Shrub Beds• Based on priority of location- ranges

from weekly to every 6 weeks

Premier Sports Fields• IPM techniques and spot spray

Arterial Boulevard Tree Wells• Spray annually

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What do we use to control weeds and other pests in developed greenspace?

thistle and tansy – beds and naturalized areas Milestone

Thistle – beds and naturalized areas Lontrel

selective herbicide spot spray – sports fields, boulevards and public open space

Par 3 or Trillon

Insecticide –wasps and hornets in playgrounds and picnic areas

Jet Foam Wasp /Hornet Killer

non-selective herbicide – primarily hard surfaces

Maverick, Round Up Transorb

pre-emergent herbicide- primarily shrub beds Devrinol 50 DF

UseProducts

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Spending on Weed Control(average spending per year 2009 to 2012)

$538,501

$5,881

$418,520

$114,100

Total

$175,500

$2000

$154,000

$19,500

Contracted Services

ControlProducts

ManpowerCore Business

$6936$356,065Total

$816$3065Level A Sports fields

$520$264,000Horticulture

$5,600$89,000Turf Development

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Public Notification(in accordance with our Pesticide Notification Policy)

Advance Notification

• Newspaper Advertisement and Website Notification (by April 1 of each year)

• Specific Notification

Notification that Spraying has occurred

• Treated areas are signed for 48 hours after application

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Contact before Application and Exclusions

(in accordance with our Pesticide Notification Policy)

Special ConsiderationsSpecial Considerations•• School yards School yards -- July or AugustJuly or August•• Water Bodies Water Bodies --Hand removal Hand removal •• Playgrounds Playgrounds -- no spray inside the retained areano spray inside the retained area

Contact before sprayingContact before spraying

Exclusion ZoneExclusion Zone•• 30 meters from private property30 meters from private property

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Notification Signage

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Questions and Suggested Directions