Spraying began on June 6th.
Sweet clover…gone.
Pesticide applicator trucks have been spotted in the early hours and during the day throughout the County and Drummond North Elmsley townships as spraying the roadsides to try to kill wild parsnip has begun.
A detailed schedule of when and where the trucks will be has not been made available to residents.
There are many no spray signs dotting the county and township roads as residents have opted out of the program. The Friends of the Tay, the Lanark Beekeepers, the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists, Little Silver and Rainbow Lakes Association and the Friends of Lanark County, have expressed concerns over the use of the herbicide Clearview which will kill all broadleaf plants and has the potential to move through soil and water and contaminate groundwater. It has been banned in Norway.
A request to the County for a delay until baseline water tests were done was denied.
There have been reports of spraying during windy and rainy days, including the spraying on County Road 43 on June 13 when the wind gusts were high. Another complaint of a mailbox and garbage can being sprayed is still being investigated.
Residents are advised to stay out of sprayed areas for 12 hrs, and watch out for drift.
Spray trucks are keeping a look out for nesting turtles along the roadsides and are required to respect the wetland buffer zones.
Sections that have been sprayed will be mowed over in about 3 weeks.
Residents who have complaints regarding the spraying can call 613-521-3450 extension 259.
Outside of Lanark County…two Stittsville organic farmers are suing the city for damages for spraying herbicide on their road beside their organic crops.
If you would like to follow our activities more closely, please see our facebook page where there are daily updates from Lanarky County residents. If you are able to join us in our efforts, and help keep this website up to date, please email us at: friendsoflanarkcounty@gmail.com.