Weed Control Applied this Week to Dearborn Parks
The City of Dearborn wants residents to know that as part of its routine spring work, contractors this week will begin applying fertilizer and broad leaf weed control on all of the City parks and City rights of way.
All areas will be marked according to the Department of Agriculture standards. These areas include the medians, cul de sacs and easements that are maintained by the City.
All pesticides used will have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that is available through United Lawnscape, the contractor applying them. The hours of operations are from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and dependant upon park usage.
City officials say all areas are safe after the material has dried, which is usually within 2 – 4 hours depending on weather conditions.
May 17th, 2011 at 4:26 am
Here is a great place to save some money and improve the health of the city: stop using these “cosmetic” chemicals. Two years ago, the province of Ontario banned the use of pesticides to control lawn and garden weeds and insects. Within a year a study showed an 80% reduction in several common lawn care pesticides in urban streams. If anybody thinks these chemicals are harmless (even after they have “dried”), especially in combination with all the other products in our environment, they are fooling themselves.
May 17th, 2011 at 11:24 am
I agree with Julie. Up until a couple years ago, I wasn’t aware of the link between so many of these environmental and public health issues. Many people, including lawncare companies and those hired by municipalities too, misuse pesticides and fertilizers. For example, many of my neighbors have their lawn fertilized in late February and March. From what I understand, the still frozen grass cannot take up the fertilizer yet and most gets washed away. Personally, I don’t understand the obsession anymore with having a bright green looking lawn that relies on a continual influx of synthetic fertilizers to look vibrant when there’s too much uncertainty about the environmental and public health cost, over time, of using and misusing these.
I want to support businesses here but we do have to look at the research, and I hope we put into practice what the research and our own sense of logic tells us to do. Yes, perhaps the city can save money on doing this while also doing something more people friendly and environmentally sound.
May 17th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Is this really a necessary expense? Dandelions might not look pretty but just think of them as God’s wildflowers and we can save a lot of money and help the environment at the same time.
If you want to spray the main arteries, maybe. I see no reason to to it to the parks.
May 17th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
seriously…?…there’s talk of closing pools and libraries, but we need to spray our parks and medians with weed killer and fertilizer…?
May 17th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I agree, if Dearborn is committed to creating a sustainable community, see http://www.cityofdearborn.org/government/green-dearborn …. why not work on eliminating the use of cosmetic pesticides? Let’s set an example for other communities in SE MI.
May 17th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Give me a break. Can’t we just let nature have a chance? Do we have to “control” everything? Stop dumping chemicals into our environment.
May 19th, 2011 at 11:22 am
This article gives a good cost comparison between non-native turfgrass maintenance vs. native landscaping conversion and is adjusted for 3% inflation.
By the fifth year, one can save about $9,500 per year just from phasing out the fertilizer and mowing regime: http://www.recmanagement.com/200304gc02.php
I think Friends of the Rouge uses similar figures for their planning too.
I don’t know what Dearborn’s annual expenses are for grounds keeping, but it would certainly be worthwhile to reinvest the savings for the city or parks and rec department into things like health, environmental interpretation, and recreation education.
May 19th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Who do we talk to to ask that they stop spraying at the parks or look for non toxic alternatives?
May 22nd, 2011 at 12:49 pm
I applaud the city for finaling announcing when they are going to spray the parks with pesticide; it is about time! I have been on the park when the pesticide is being applied and, if the wind is blowing, you can inhale it directly. I have seen parents with their children playing on the playground in the parks when the pesticide is being applied. The mayor should make sure that people are cleared out of the parks before they start spraying pesticide! A lot of people do not realize that they are being directly exposed to pesticide and, if you sneak your dog on the park, please do not let it eat the grass!