East Bank of Little River

As noted in the discussion section of this report, removal of the invasive species in this area has a number of risks.

Health and Safety Risks:

Wild Parsnip poses low risks to the health and safety of park users who do not come into contact with mature plants. Those who do come into contact with them and then expose their skin to sunlight can end up with a painful rash. As this area is not an official trail, the risk that someone will come into contact with it is low.

Hand pulling the invasive species in this area would pose a moderate risk to staff. Working on the rocky embankment would prove quite difficult and could result in slips and falls – potentially into the river, and into the plants being removed. This risk can be mitigated by using an alternative method for removal or by not removing the species at all.

Environmental Risk

Broadcast spraying would eradicate the invasive species. Unfortunately, this would result in the killing of all plants the spray were to come in contact with. There is potential for the presence of endangered plant species in the area. As owners of the land, the City of Windsor is responsible to protect these species as per the Endangered Species Act (2007), and therefore spraying could come with serious risks and potential repercussions. This risk can be mitigated by using alternative methods for removal or by not removing the species at all.

Mechanical cutting could be done with a ditch cutter. This method uses a large machine with a cutting arm which reaches into the area to mow down the invasive species. There is a moderate to high risk that this action could cause the seeds to be broadcast into other areas of the rive bank thereby further spreading the species around. There is also potential for desirable and/or endangered species of plants to be mowed. Not removing the species in this manner would mitigate this risk.

Wild Parsnip and Tree of Heaven are found throughout the City. As such, there is a risk that even if all of the invasive species were removed from this particular area, they could become re-established.

City Wide Risks

It is widely recognized that if certain invasive species are not controlled, the health of ecosystems is negatively impacted both in the short and long-term. In addition, costs associated with controlling invasive species increase over time as these invasive plants continue to spread.