tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070977933232664642.post5134326498148274719..comments2024-02-21T12:23:30.416-06:00Comments on PLANET IN PERIL: Dangerous DitchesGraham Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10678179625435076216noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070977933232664642.post-86253676832831674422013-12-07T11:32:36.324-06:002013-12-07T11:32:36.324-06:00Submitted in "The Dominion" by jimlane o...Submitted in "The Dominion" by jimlane on Mon, 03/04/2013 - 14:05.<br />I once heard weeds defined as "plants growing where somebody doesn't want them", a definition that obviously covers a lot of ground. The weed control authorities tend to treat all the species on their list as equally bad and this needs to be challenged. I don't know about Manitoba but I can give examples from Ontario. Our list here includes both Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and Queen Anne's Lace (Daucas carota). Hogweed is poisonous to the point of being dangerous to human health whereas Queen Anne's Lace is an innocuous and rather lovely white wildflower. People who object to toxic herbicide spraying should not only point out the damage to human health but also insist that governments justify why certain plants are listed as "noxious" in the first place.<br /><br />Another point to consider is that, if plant species really do deserve to be "controlled", herbicide spraying isn't necessarily the best or only couse of action. A good example from Ontario would be Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). It is an invasive wetland plant that was spreading dramatically some years ago. Botanists were very afraid it would take over its habitat and out-compete a range of native plants. However the controlled introduction of 2 species of Galerucella beetles from the plant's native range has succeded in reducing the population to manageable proportions in fairly short order. Poison isn't the only answer.<br /><br />Thanks for an interesting article.<br /><br />Jim LaneJim Lanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070977933232664642.post-25479280829503373152013-12-07T11:25:58.187-06:002013-12-07T11:25:58.187-06:00scotinfrance Robert Myles | Posted on ALLVOICES ...scotinfrance Robert Myles | Posted on ALLVOICES 7 months ago<br />Thanks for a very useful and interesting article. It was the headline 'Dangerous Ditches' that caught my eye when I was looking to see if an aspect of invasive species I was researching had previously been covered on AV.<br />Here in France, it is now illegal to spray a whole host of herbicides in or near ditches, these having been banned by the EU - there were even signs up at local garden centres and agri-mercants before the ban came in, warning of the change in the law.<br />The ditch outside our house is allowed to play host to wild flowers naturally, with no spraying and, other than the occasional mowing to keep growth down and routine removal of the likes of brambles or stray seedling trees (by hand) - that's about it. The result is verges that are a haven for insect-life many of which are pest-controllers in themselves.<br />Also in France, I read of groups of farmers who are about to sue agrochemical companies claiming that inhalation of chemical sprays in widespread use has been reponsible for a host of debilitating ailments, including Parkinson's disease.<br />On the specific topic of leafy spurge, a native of Europe, herbicides are unlikely to eradicate it due to its wide seed dispersal and ability to regenerate from tiny bits of root. Goats have been shown to be effective of getting rid of it as have some species of beetle - although these seems to work, patience and time is required but that approach seems to me to be better in the long run rather than the carpet-bombing effect of mass spraying by herbicides.Robert Mylesnoreply@blogger.com