Japanese Knotweed along the Thames Valley Parkway

7.7 Parks Operations

The Parks Operations unit will play a central role in the LIPMS. A new dedicated team is conducting invasive species inventories of natural areas located within the parks and green space system. The next step for this team is to be directly implementing EDRR protocols for priority invasive species. This will greatly improve addressing invasive species invasions within City Parks and adjacent Natural Heritage features by eliminating vectors and promoting native species in naturalized areas.

Parks Operations in conjunction with Environmental and Parks Planning is developing a London Phragmites Management Strategy that includes control along roadways and drainage ditches (these areas are maintained by Parks Operations), which is the primary vector for this priority invasive species. It would be beneficial for Parks Operations to have licenced pesticide applicators as part of their team. This would increase the efficiency of this team, the implementation of the EDRR protocols, and allow for increased invasive species control options to effectively implement the LIPMS.