Parks and Public Landscaping Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2020 01 09

Home Browse Search

LCity,f Louisville Parks & Recreation Memorandum To: Parks and Public Landscaping Advisory Board (PPLAB) From: Dean Johnson, Parks Superintendent Date: 12/18/19 Subject: Discussion on Use of Herbicides in Parks Purpose: The purpose of this agenda item is to gain feedback from PPLAB on the City's current use of herbicides as a tool for weed control in parks, streetscapes, greenways, and the Cemetery and to provide any recommendations to current practices for 2020, if deemed appropriate. Background: PPLAB as part of their purview will periodically make recommendations to City staff on maintenance practices and procedures. In regards to the use of herbicides, PPLAB makes it a goal to annually review current practices and make recommendations if appropriate. For example, in 2016, PPLAB recommended that the City no longer use herbicides in playground areas. The City then adopted this recommendation as a pilot program in 2017 which has now been incorporated into current maintenance practices. Then In 2019, PPLAB supported a pilot program which would allow for citizen groups to control weeds in parks without the use of herbicides. PPLAB decided unanimously to support this pilot program for Elephant Park and a decision was made to stop spraying herbicides at this site. The discussion on January 9th will primarily focus on the current use of herbicides for weed control, but herbicides are not the only method the City uses to control weeds. The City uses an integrated weed management program or approach. An integrated weed management program relies on many control methods beyond herbicide use such as: prevention, biological, cultural, and mechanical. Mechanical control (mowing) is the control method currently used in the City's greenways. Greenways are the non -irrigated park properties within the City. Not to be mistaken by open space properties, greenways are routinely mowed (open space properties are primarily left unmowed) and thus herbicide applications are greatly reduced on many of these properties. Primarily, herbicides are used in parks, streetscapes, and the Cemetery in two different types of applications, spot spraying and broadleaf control. • Spot spraying is conducted on an as -needed basis for weeds in areas such as shrub beds, cracks in concrete, baseball infields, etc. The type of herbicide used in this application is non -selective. • Broadleaf control is conducted on turf to eliminate weeds in grass. The type of herbicide used in this application is selective. It selectively targets broadleaf weeds and leaves grass undamaged. This type of application is conducted at most two times per year but in trying to reduce herbicide use, the City for many years has only conducted one application per year. 14