Healthy Green Spaces Strategy for Public Lands
The City of Burlington's Healthy Green Spaces Strategy for Public Land is intended to be a new way of managing our green spaces. There will always be a demand for active parkland such as sport fields, playgrounds, etc., but residents also enjoy several natural areas. The aim of the strategy is to develop ways to ensure the ecological health of these areas is protected, restored, and/or enhanced where necessary. As well, the City is proposing to develop a naturalization strategy, which would involve identifying appropriate areas for planting different varieties of native species.
- Pesticide Reduction
Healthy Lawns
- Promote Biodiversity
- Preventative Health Care
- Safe and Responsible Use of Pesticides
- Choosing a Lawn Care Company
- Winterizing Your Turf - Cultural practices and principles of late season fertilizer
- Staff reports related to Healthy Green Spaces
Pesticide Reduction
The City of Burlington is committed to reducing the use of pesticides on the public green spaces that it maintains. In 2002, Council approved Report RPM 06/02 which recommended that the City of Burlington eliminate the use of pesticides on municipally-owned properties as of 2003 with only a few exceptions.
The exceptions include the limited use of fungicides at the lawn bowling green and the limited use of pesticides at Tyandaga Golf Course. It is essential for the survival of closely mown bentgrass that a pesticide program exists. At both locations the focus is on cultural (preventative turf maintenance) practices to maintain necessary service levels but periodic applications will be required as problems arise.To balance the effect of eliminating pesticides, the City has adopted a turf maintenance program based on cultural practices such as aeration, fertilization, irrigation, over-seeding, and topdressing. Many of these practices have been used in the past but not in conjunction with each other, and not in the context of an overall program.
The City's turf maintenance program focuses on implementing these practices on a timely basis. The goal is to produce a healthy turf grass cover that can resist both weed and insect infestation. Compaction, drought, and fertility imbalances are all detrimental to a healthy turf grass plant. Aeration, irrigation, and fertilization help alleviate these conditions, and help turf compete more effectively against pests. The City's goal is to eliminate the use of pesticides, where possible, on municipal property, but also to improve the quality of sports fields and passive turf areas. Although user groups may not see immediate improvements it is anticipated that over a two or three year period the quality of the turf will improve with the implementation of the cultural practices.
The City is also committed to encouraging and educating the public to reduce the non-essential or cosmetic use of chemical pesticides for lawn care. Just as people are developing a greater interest in wellness and preventative health care, the same theory can be applied to lawn care. Healthy lawns through preventative maintenance can withstand most pest infestations, including weeds and insects. See the information posted below for tips on how you can maintain your lawn with minimal or no dependence on pesticides.
Healthy Lawns
Prevention is the best approach to maintain a healthy lawn. Healthy, vigorous, deep-rooted lawns are less susceptible to pest damage and pesticides are usually not required to control pests. Healthy lawns are less affected by drought, temperature extremes and general wear and tear.
A healthy lawn can be maintained by using correct fertilizing, aeration, mowing, top dressing, over seeding and irrigation practices. If a few weeds appear, just pull them by hand. In a healthy lawn, beneficial insects can keep pest insects in check. Healthy lawns can be maintained without using herbicides or other pesticides.
Healthy lawns smother weeds, prevent weed seeds from germinating and are less susceptible to diseases. A lawn which is made up of a variety of grasses can tolerate a range of growing conditions (e.g. shade and sun) and is less susceptible to pest damage. Vigorously growing lawns fill in thinned areas caused by insects or other types of damage.
Taking an environmentally friendly approach to lawn care starts with being practical about how you want the lawn to look. The transition to a more environmentally friendly approach to lawn care may take a season or two of improving lawn care to achieve the results you want.
Promote Biodiversity
A lawn doesn't have to be just grass-many people enjoy the look of other plants in the lawn, such as white clover. Variety in plant types can prevent pest problems from spreading to the whole lawn.
A diverse landscape with a variety of plants is better for the environment, because it:
- is more attractive to birds, butterflies, and other wildlife; and
- an be easier to maintain when the right plants are selected to suit the conditions.
Where conditions are not suitable for a lawn, try growing plants more adapted to the area. Other plants can make good ground covers, especially for shaded, dry or other difficult sites. Experiment with alternative landscapes, such as native plants, mulched perennial beds or rock and alpine gardens. These are drought resistant and require less maintenance.
Work with Nature
Birds and predatory insects feed on grubs and other pests. Insects, earthworms, beneficial fungi and other micro-organisms break down thatch and aerate the soil. Protect beneficial insects and earthworms by reducing your use of insecticides and fungicides.
Preventative Plant Health Care
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) puts the emphasis on prevention and considers all the management options before deciding on the most effective, economical and environmental means of managing a pest problem.
Elements of IPM programs are:
- prevention;
- regular monitoring;
- identification of pest or problem;
- assessment of problem to decide on what action to take;
- use of a variety of tactics as necessary to deal with pest problem; and
- evaluation of the results and adjustment to the lawn care program as needed.
Prevention:
Prevention is the best approach for managing pests. Prevention offers lasting benefits and is more effective overall than using pesticides to control individual pest problems.
Prevention includes:
- providing good soil, with ample depth and organic matter;
- choosing the right mixture of grasses for the conditions; and
- making long-term changes, such as improving drainage in wet areas or replacing lawns in problem areas with other types of landscaping.
Check your lawn:
Regular inspection of the lawn makes it possible to detect pests and other problems early.
Identify pest problems:
Correct identification of problems is essential because:
- Plant damage may not be caused by pests. Plants can be injured by poor growing conditions or practices, and environmental problems such as road salt or dog urine.
- Beneficial insects may be mistaken for pests.
- You need to know the pest in order to look up life cycle and other information that will help you decide if and when to apply treatments and how to prevent further problems.
Check for damage and decide whether action is necessary:
The presence of a few weeds or insect pests in healthy lawns may not be cause for concern. Keep an eye on the pest problem and get more information if necessary before deciding whether or not treatments are needed and how and when to apply treatments.
Is there a need to change lawn care practices?
If weeds or other pests are invading the lawn, you may need to correct drainage or fertility problems, add lime, increase mowing height, remove thatch or make other improvements.
Safe and Responsible Use of Pesticides
Effective pest management methods:
Before resorting to herbicides, try managing weeds by improving the general condition of the lawn and doing some occasional hand weeding. Prevention, such as providing good soil and choosing the right mixture of grasses for the conditions, plays a big role in pest management.
Pesticides give short-term control of lawn pests, but rarely long-lasting solutions. Improving management of lawns gives long-lasting results and avoids future pest problems.
If you need to use a pesticide, only apply it when and where the pest is present. Most lawn pesticides do not prevent pest problems. They only control pests once they are present. Minimize use of pesticides by:
- timing applications correctly to avoid the need for repeat treatments;
- using spot treatments rather than broadcast applications; or
- only treating the problem area or plants.
Always read and follow the label directions. The label is a legal document and must be followed. When using pesticides:
- ensure that the pesticide label has directions for use on lawns and lists the pest you wish to control;
- use the recommended rate on the pesticide product label; and
- use any protective clothing, gloves and other equipment specified on the label.
Try to buy only the amount of pesticide that you expect to use up in one season.
Avoid having to store and dispose of excess pesticides. Store pesticides out of the reach of children and pets and follow all label instructions and government regulations.
Be courteous and talk to your neighbour. Let them know that you will be treating your lawn with a pesticide product.
Choosing a Lawn Care Company
If you decide to use a professional service to maintain your lawn, how can you be sure that the company will do a good job. Before you select a service, here are some questions to consider:
- Is the company willing and able to discuss the maintenance/treatment for your home? Do they base their programs on "Integrated Pest Management" (IPM)? Ask for details regarding the programs they offer. Avoid lawn care programs that regularly apply pesticides whether or not pests are present. If they propose a chemical pesticide product, ask for details regarding risks and whether or not there are non-chemical alternatives available.
- If the company proposed to use pesticides to deal with a problem, is the company licensed? In Ontario, the provincial Ministry of the Environment is responsible for licensing under the Pesticides Act.
- Does the company have a good track record? Do some research? Ask neighbours/friends to recommend companies. Check the Better Business Bureau to find out if they have received complaints.
- Is the company affiliated with a professional association? Professional associations, such as Landscape Ontario, keep members informed of new developments in pest control methods, safety, training, research, and regulations. Members agree to honour a code of ethics. The fact that a company, small or large, chooses to join a professional association signals its concern for quality.
"Tips for a Healthy Lawn" is based on information provided by Health Canada - Healthy Lawns Strategy as well as information in a "Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For further information, please check out the following links:
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities have also established a site with support from Environment Canada and the national Office of Pollution Prevention:
