Green Goes To Brown, Walk Carefully In Metro Parks

[Jim O'Bryan]

Just a week ago, the Lakewood part of Rocky River Reservation was covered with a thick
plush carpet of green and gold.


Today, dead and brown.

Why?


Two weeks ago Davy's Tree Service was hired by Metro Parks to spray "Rodeo" Dow Chemical's
version of "Roundup" and kill a couple invasive species.


The label lists many hazards including wear mask, avoid contact with skin and eyes, were
protective clothes, etc..




All of this within feet of kids walking, baseball, the all purpose path, and off road trails.


Also within the area of the Great Horned Owl nest, and where they and the Bald Eagles
hunt and heed.


And into the water.

.

[Jennifer Pae]

Thank you so much for bringing this to everyone's attention.

It just makes me sick that the Cleveland Metroparks would use a herbicide in "attempts" to control lesser celandine. The bottom of the hill at Hogsback Lane and Valley Parkway looks like it was hit by napalm. This invasive spring time plant has come to blanket large parts of the Rocky River Reservation, and it would take a lot of Rodeo to kill it all.

What is interesting is the area where lesser celandine began to pop up about in the Rocky River Reservation almost 2 decades ago, the plant is no longer dominant. This is right by Big Met on the curve across from the swamp/wetlands before the Metroparks Administrative Bldg.

Let nature take its course please and no chemicals that kill all of the other plants too!

[Stephen Eisel]

I think that Rodeo is manufactured by Monsanto... Red Flag! Nice! into the water goes the poison...

[Peter Grossetti]

OMG

[jeanne grossetti]

I am dismayed that the Cleveland Metroparks used chemicals to destroy invasive plants ~ yellow flowers that have thrilled me each spring for years. Whether or not there is good cause to be concerned about these flowers, the use of non-green chemicals in the metroparks is, to me, a sacrilege, and heartbreaking. If you agree with me, you might join me in calling Terry Robison (Cleveland Metroparks) at 440 253-2162. Or write a letter to:
Fred Rzepka, David W. Whitehead, William J. Ryan, Board of Park Commissioners
Vern J. Hartenburg, Executive Director
Cleveland Metroparks
4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, Ohio 44114

[Dave Mechenbier]

Aren't we an invasive species around here too?

[Michael Deneen]

I love the smell of Rodeo in the morning.

[Paul Schrimpf]

I am going to wade in on this, with the hope that maybe Mr. Palmer will have my back. If not I would like to see his take, as he probably sells plenty of it in his store.

To control invasive species in sensitive areas, glyphosate is a responsible cholce since it does break down into relatively inert components and will do a good job on the target plants. At the proper rate it will not hurt trees. That water pollution is quite dramatic, but looks to me like somebody's lawn care phosphorus runoff, which will do multitudes of damage vs. what Davey is doing here.

It's not practical to pick it all with so much of it, and I'm sure they did a proper risk assessment and decided that the risk to the forest floor and native species required the application. I'm sure it's a last resort as opposed to the first choice ... they did have a hand-pick weed event last weekend for a weed I am constantly after in my yard.

As you know Jim, I cover agriculture. I know many vegetation management companies and they do an outstanding job and are highly regulated. I trust they did the right things here. Failure to do so would result in lawsuits, loss of business, untold grief. They care and do good work.

And no, I am not on Monsanto's payroll, because inevitably people ask me who's paying my way.

[Stephen Eisel]

And they also said that DDT was safe...

[Stephen Eisel]

http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Roun ... et-Cox.htm

Hey Pete... Would you drink water with Glyphosate in it?

[Paul Schrimpf]

Here we go...

[Jim O'Bryan]

As you know Jim, I cover agriculture. I know many vegetation management companies and they do an outstanding job and are highly regulated. I trust they did the right things here. Failure to do so would result in lawsuits, loss of business, untold grief. They care and do good work.

And no, I am not on Monsanto's payroll, because inevitably people ask me who's paying my way.

Paul

Are you on Monsanto's Payroll?

Seriously, I have many problems with this first was that Metro Parks claimed to have a let live ala nature policy, that has
been told to me again and again. Why aren't you mowing the fields at... "We have gone back to a more natural way of
maintaining the metro park lands." "Can you save the eagle?" answer, "Well they are no longer endangered and we have to
let nature take its course." Then you run into them killing weeds with Rodeo over huge acreages where people and pets play.

Then we have the Davys Tree outsourcing, and the Metro Parks new love of burning through money in some of the most
amazing ways bordering on a CDC style social engineering in the parks.

Finally, is it really accomplishing anything? You can see the same plants on the other side of the river, in other areas so
what is the point. I received an email asking if they got a grant and the call is in. For grants are often the ill wind that
blows so many lame ideas forward. Let's say Dow, Monsanto, whoever offers funding to a group that turns around and
offers "invasive species control grants" and the winners of those matching fund grants are requested to use "Rodeo" is it
any different from a 1/3rd off sale? Is it any different from so many other grants that can cast ill while claiming to do good?

Merely Observations on my part.

.

[Paul Schrimpf]

Jim, I don't know any of the ins and outs of grants and financing. I would be interested in any information you receive. I would assume it's a last resort if it's part of a plan to rid an area of an invasive species and replace it with something else. I don't know enough about what the problem is. But professional vegetation management does work.

Having been down there today, the scariest thing in the valley right now is the Hilliard Bridge. Your Owl buddies are more likely to get konked in the head with falling debris than poisoned by glyphosate.

[Peter Grossetti]

http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Roundup-Glyphosate-Factsheet-Cox.htm

Hey Pete... Would you drink water with Glyphosate in it?

Who is "Pete"?

[Stephen Eisel]

HEY! I am agreeing with Jim... can I help it if I got excited... At least I did not call you "late for dinner"... and sorry, I should have included a smiley face after my comment.. I was being a smartjim