The Mayor of Cramahe Township is “walking the walk” when it comes to helping find a solution for pesticide use.
Mayor Mandy Martin and Amy Quinn were out on Sunday, June 9, 2019 weed whacking an area of County Road 2 at Shelter Valley Road that is ripe with dog strangling vine.
In previous years, Roundup would be used along county roadsides and Northumberland Forest trails, but at a special council meeting last week, it was decided that using Roundup would cease immediately.
“I think we all have to start doing something and it doesn’t matter how small the action,” said Martin taking a brief break.
“We have to walk the walk and that’s what Amy and I are doing today.”
Martin said she’s hoping people who were in support of discontinuing the week control spray will help in anyway they can.
“We’re hoping other people will help and take up a patch.”
“If we’re going to stop products like Roundup then we’ve got to be ready to contribute to the solution and there are solutions.”
“You think you’re solving one problem, then if you spray with Roundup, you’re creating more problems. You have to think about the bigger picture and with the state of the climate and the environment, it’s climate crisis.”
Quinn has worked in landscaping for over 30 years and has seen an impact of the current crisis growing over the years.
With specializing in Native Trees, shrubs and plants and the connections to wildlife either as a form of food or shelter the dog strangling vine has very harmful effects.
The vine originally came from Eastern Europe and is a member of the milkweed family.
“Roundup has a carcinogenic in it that is systemic in the plant.”
“When insects, or birds, any wildlife that pollinates are taking in that toxin into their system, it’s actually killing (them).”
“By stopping it in Northumberland County we are protecting our food chain. A robin eats a worm, a hawk eats a robin. It just goes right up the food chain and even into our water.”
Another threat of dog strangling vine is to Monarch butterflies.
Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on it and dog strangling vine has a toxin in it that kills the monarch egg.
“So all this work that were doing for Monarch’s is all for not, if we’re not dealing with dog strangling vine.”
Quinn says using Roundup is a “wipeout.”
“It kills everything.”
But by weed whacking the area the native plants will return.
“This stops the photosynthesis process of dog strangling vine. Cutting it once is not going to work, it’s going to have to be cut repeatedly.”
“It’s important that we be aware and look where dog strangling vine is on our own properties, but also on public properties because we lose bio-diversities when the plant takes over.”
Quinn points to an area on the south side of County Road 2 where an area is filled with dog strangling vine, but another area just on the north side that is regularly cut has very little because it’s maintained.
“Every little bit helps,” adds Martin.
“Be a warrior. If you mean it – go protect it.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
