Lanark County Media Release - December 7, 2022

For immediate release Dec. 7, 2022

Here are the highlights from the Lanark County Council meeting held Dec. 7, 2022.

Council Oriented to Vegetation Management Plan: Council received an information report on integrated vegetation management plan activities in 2022 that was presented by Climate Environmental Coordinator Michelle Rabbetts at last month’s public works committee meeting.

Rabbetts oriented the new council to vegetation management and restoration activities happening in Lanark County, beginning with initial work on controlling wild parsnip, which was declared a noxious weed in Ontario in 2015. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Vegetation Management Plan for the county was adopted in 2016 and takes a long-term, multi-faceted approach to managing vegetation in order to maintain safe roadsides. “The vision was to reduce reliance on mowing, brushing and spraying while restoring pollinator habitat,” she said. The county received an award from the North American Pollinator Protection campaign for the incorporation of long-term goals for pollinators.

Between 2016 and 2022 there has been a 95 per cent reduction in herbicide use along county roads. Public works staff controlled wild parsnip by hand pulling on more than half oof the county road system this year (328 km), with an emphasis on hamlets where infestation levels and risk to public exposure is greater. “Hand control by county forces were pushed to near maximum capabilities this year,” Rabbetts added She also highlighted work on controlling cells of phragmites, which have increased by 81 per cent since 2018. Control involves hand spading, mowing, and spraying of cells at dry locations.

Rabbetts noted the plan has been reviewed this year and includes an update on control strategies and issues that have progressed since the plan was adopted, as well as revisions to reflect current control strategies and restoration goals.

Highlights of restoration activities in the county include:

• A project on County Road 1 (Rideau Ferry Road) near the Perth landfill site. It was prepared in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), using a combination of herbicide and tilling to remove weeds throughout the growing season, then seeding and rolling in the fall with a custom native seed mix of northern wildflowers. It includes a mycorrhizae trial (specialized fungi) to help with weed control.
• The County Road 21 (Elm Grove Road) pollinator patch project was also in partnership with CWF and involved seeding with flowering plants and adding experimental wood shavings to reduce weed pressure.
• A 3-acre field adjacent to the Lanark County Administration Building is being converted to a pollinator patch in phases. The entire site was seeded with a cover crop in 2022.
• Hydroseeding is taking place at construction projects, using a custom wildflower mix to promote desirable, pollinator-friendly plants. In the last five years, 68 km of roadsides (six construction sites in 2022) have been hydroseeded.

• A CWF training/road tour in August to showcase the county’s pollinator habitat restoration projects to municipal and conservation authority staff in eastern Ontario. It included best- management practices on rights-of-way with an industry expert.

For more information, contact Michelle Rabbetts, Climate Environmental Coordinator, at 1-888-9- LANARK, ext. 3114.

Appointments to Boards and Committees Approved: Council approved a report of the striking committee that sets appointments to various boards, commissions, committees and working groups, as follows:

Lanark County Municipal Trails Sub-Committee (four-year term)

• Ed McPherson (Perth Deputy Mayor)
• Fred Dobbie (Tay Valley Deputy Reeve)
• Jeff Carroll (Montague Deputy Reeve)
• Brian Dowdall (Beckwith Deputy Reeve)

Lanark Transportation Association (two-year term)

• Christa Lowry (Mississippi Mills Mayor)

Archives Lanark (two-year term)

• John Matheson (Drummond/North Elmsley Deputy Reeve)

Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit (two-year term)

• Richard Kidd (Beckwith Reeve)

Valley Heartland Board of Directors (two-year term)

• Bill King (Lanark Highlands Deputy Reeve)

Community Forest Sub-Committee (two-year term)

• Rob Rainer (Tay Valley Reeve)
• Brian Dowdall (Beckwith Reeve)
• Rickey Minnille (Mississippi Mills Deputy Mayor)
• Bill King (Lanark Highlands Deputy Reeve)

Lanark County Awards of Excellence Sub-Committee

• Brian Dowdall (Beckwith Deputy Reeve)
• John Matheson (Drummond/North Elmsley Deputy Reeve)
• Rickey Minnille (Mississippi Mills Deputy Mayor)
• Ed McPherson (Perth Deputy Mayor)