RAGWEED CONTROL ROAD-SIDE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OVERVIEW

Transcription

1 RAGWEED CONTROL ROAD-SIDE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OVERVIEW PRESENTED BY HERBANATUR NOVEMBER 2011

2 Table of Contents : SUMMARY OF RAGWEED CONTROL OPERATIONS 1. The Problematic 2. The Provincial Collective Action Plan 3. The strategy of the Provincial Collective Action Plan 4. Plant growth 5. Weather factors 6. Weather conditions 7. Intervention frame 8. Application operations 9. Application technologies 10. Application technologies (prototype) 11. Participants (Provincial Collective Action Plan) 12. Geographic location of participants 13. Observations 14. Positive outcomes 15. Points to be improved 16. Recommandations 17. Evaluation form 18. Global evaluation of the Provincial Collective Action Plan interventions 19. Acknowledgements

3 RAGWEED CONTROL OPERATIONS 1. The Problematic : The Ambrosia, commonly called "ragweed" in North America, is source of a public health problem that affects over 15% of Canadian and American citizen. The significance of the effects of pollen from ragweed on public health is unequivocal. (Direction de la santé publique, 2001) This plant directly affects our economic performance and aggravates the life quality of millions of citizens. It is undeniable that respiratory allergies now cost to the population several hundred million dollars a year by assigning several vital sectors. The pollen produced by ragweed triggers an allergic reaction that causes 89% of seasonal rhinitis and aggravates asthma symptoms in about 50% of cases. Asthma is the most significant respiratory disease in the country. The number of asthmatics has tripled since The Provincial Collective Action Plan : Our company has set in motion in July 2006 a Collective Action Plan to control Ragweed at a Provincial scale. This Action Plan has continued successfully over the years. Supported by the Quebec Lung Association, the Action Plan has the ultimate mission of restoring a better life quality for all those who suffer from respiratory problems. 3. The strategy of the Provincial Collective Action Plan : Five basic points must be applied to ensure the success of our action plan to a Provincial scale: 1. Give government managers realistic and viable methods to enable them to control their territories as a whole. 2. Ensuring adequate financial participation of all managers involved in the issue. 3. Evaluate the best control methods according to the different needs of the managers. 4. Establish a five-year action plan which should be implemented by all private and public managers. 5. Inspect, detect, monitor and map all infested areas. By adhering to the rules announced in the strategy of our Collective Action Plan we will have the opportunity in the short term to: 1. Reduce the rate of pollen and thus considerably relieve thousands of people and this as the first mass spraying. 2. Improve the logistics of our Collective Action Plan. 3. Locate and target the infested areas. 4. Reduce the amount of viable seeds in the soil. 5. Improve the life quality for people who suffer from respiratory diseases.

4 4. Plant growth : The ragweed is an opportunist. It adapts well to soil conditions that are often difficult for other species of the plant cover. It is usually found in disturbed environments, where there are signs of human presence, such as: the road approaches, vacant lots, the edges of houses and fences. Except for the farming industry, ragweed spreads on sites with compacted soils and low in nutrients, conditions that other species do not stand and give their place to ragweed. The Ambrosia grows only at certain latitude on the north and south side of the Equator: Ideal latitude: Between 35 degrees and 45 degrees Limit latitude: Between 30 degrees and 50 degrees 5. Weather factors : The weather conditions that favor rapid development of ragweed could be defined as follows: Morning dews Constant sunshine during the day Lite rain in the early evening Cool night without rain The Climate Change has a direct effect on plant growth and it s proliferation. In recent years, we find that the period of germination of the plant is slower early in the season (June and July). Suddenly, around the first week of August, a massive amount of plants in the vegetative state are emerging. Pollen peak takes place around the third week of August and drags on until the end of September. Average temperatures for the month of October are on the rise year after year thus prolonging pollen season until the first frost. There is no doubt that milder temperatures of September favoured growth and pollination of the plant during the month of October. Allergic rhinitis due to the pollen of Ambrosia is now the fifth largest health problem.

5 6. Weather conditions Weather conditions seen for the regions of Quebec City, Sherbrooke and Montreal: Statistics for the city of Quebec : Latitude: 46.48N Longitude: O Altitude: 70m Maximum Minimum Average Rain (mm) Total (mm) Sunshine (h) Hum. rel. (%) Wind speed (km/h) Wind direction Temp.<=0 C Rain >=5 mm Rain >=10 mm Rain >=25 mm Statistics for the city of Sherbrooke : Latitude: 45.26N Longitude: O Altitude: 238m Maximum Minimum Average Rain (mm) Total (mm) Sunshine (h) Hum. rel. (%) Wind speed (km/h) Wind direction Temp.<=0 C Rain >=10 mm Rain >=25 mm

6 Statistics for the city of Montreal : Latitude: 45.28N Longitude: O Altitude: 31m Maximum Minimum Average Rain (mm) Total (mm) Sunshine (h) Hum. rel. (%) Wind speed (km/h) Wind direction Temp.<=0 C Rain>=0.2 mm Rain>=5 mm Rain >=10 mm Rain >=25 mm Statistics observed between 2006 and 2011 Maximal temp. : 32.8 C Date : Minimal temp. : -1.2 C Date: Precipitations : mm Average from to Maximal temp. : 34 C Date : Minimal temp. : -2.5 C Date: Precipitations : mm Average from to Maximal temp. : 32.9 C Date : Minimal temp. : 0.3 C Date: Precipitations : mm Average from to

7 7. Intervention frame : Locating and spraying operations took place between July 15 and September 15. In view of a slow germination, we did again this year a delayed intervention in areas of the south areas to avoid too much germination of new ragweed plants after our interventions. Our approach seems to have been right because the average rainfall recorded between May and October shows a decrease of 40% compared to the same period in Application operations : Control operations in 2011 were conducted on more than 1000 miles. Several shortcomings that where observed in the past on some technology application have been successfully corrected. Among other things, the accuracy of spraying equipment now offers a much more uniform and selective outcome. We tested in 2011 a refuelling unit to optimize the performance of our intervention units. The role of the tanker is to have autonomous units in operations while avoiding to later having to go back to the point of preparing the solution to be applied.

8 9. Application technology : Objectives aimed in 2011: Choose the appropriate technology of application in order to optimize the efficiency and selectivity of our product. Compiling various statistics on the performance time spraying operations. Measure the economic viability of operations for the managers of the infested areas. Develop operation logistics tailored to the needs of sub-contractors. Increase the autonomy of our intervention units. Four types of application technologies were used during the season 2011: Tall tree gun (long-range spray) Comments: Effective for all types of interventions. The control of the spray nozzle is versatile and very precise. Gardening sprayer (Lesco type) Comments: Effective for interventions in urban areas. Lateral fixed ramp with fixed sprayers Comments: Imprecise and inefficient, this technology must be revaluated. Lateral ramp with adjustable sprayers Comments: Effective interventions for rural areas and on land without obstacles.

9 10. Application technology (prototype) : Objectives aimed in 2010 and 2011: 1. Develop a versatile intervention unit to cover urban areas, and rural roads. 2. Ensure the autonomy of the unit to control 40 km linear of roadside infestation. 3. Develop an application technology capable of a cruising speed of more than 15 km/h. 4. Compiling various statistics on the performance and time spraying operations. High-performance prototype equipped with three flexible lateral ramps with adjustable spraying outlets. Comments: Ideal for interventions in rural areas and highways. Polyvalent and also very efficient, this prototype is able to reach a cruising speed of more than 15 km/h. The development of this prototype will continue in Hi-Performance Prototype ( ) Hi-Performance Prototype ( ) Ajustable vaporisation ramps equiped with independant spray controls 3 ajustable ramps flexible in all directions Hi-Performance Prototype ( ) Hi-Performance Prototype ( ) Retactable ramps that can be ajusted from 1 to 3 meters long A control station fixed at the rear of the unit allows the technician to adjust during the application the flow as needed and the angle of each spraying ramp

10 11. Participants (Provincial Action Plan): MODEL MUNICIPALITY * (Ragweed) REGION PARTICIPATION Brossard Montérégie 8th season Châteauguay Montérégie 5rd season L Ile Cadieux Montérégie 2nd season Portneuf Capitale Nationale 8th season St-Pascal Bas St-Laurent 4st season Vaudreuil-Dorion Montérégie 5nd season Vaudreuil-Sur-Le-Lac Montérégie 5hd season *Municipality which the totality of their infrastructures are inspected and controlled PROACTIVE MUNICIPALITY (Ragweed) REGION PARTICIPATION ARRONDISSEMENT : CÔTE ST-LUC Montréal 7rd season GRANBY Montérégie 2nd season HYDRO QUÉBEC Laval 8th season LAVAL Laval 5nd season MONT ST-HILAIRE Montérégie 1st season NOTRE - DAME - DES PRAIRIES Lanaudière 2nd season PRÉVOST Laurentides 6nd season ST-CHARLES-BORROMÉE Lanaudière 3st season ST GABRIEL DE VALCARTIER Capitale Nationale 5nd season ST-LAZARE Montérégie 5st season QUÉBEC Capitale Nationale 8th season TERREBONNE Lanaudière 8th season TRIAL (Ragweed) LES CÈDRES ILE PERROT ST-BRUNO DE MONTARVILLE ST-CONSTANT ST-JÉROME REGION Montérégie Montérégie Montérégie Montérégie Laurentides POISON IVY BOIS-DES-FILION C-N (DEUX-MONTAGNES-MONTRÉAL) MONTRÉAL (PIERREFONDS) MONT ST-HILAIRE PARC NATIONAL D OKA ST-BRUNO DE MONTARVILLE VAUDREUIL DORION REGION Laurentides Montréal Montréal Montérégie Laurentides Montérégie Montérégie

11 12. Geographic location of participants : MODEL MUNICIPALITY (ragweed control) PROACTIVE MUNICIPALITY (ragweed control) POISON IVY CONTROL 13. Observations : It has been observed in some areas treated that a minority of plants appeared to be resistant to the treatment. On the other hand, the majority of them could not produce pollen. The intervention frame has been well estimated and respected. The fixed nozzle application technology must be reassessed. The majority of Provincial & Federal vacant lots and right of way are severely infested. Several public infrastructures are severely infested. The majority of vacant commercial lots are severely infested. Several developing lots are severely infested. Most of the private lawns in disadvantaged residential areas are infested. In rural areas, the plant seems to coexist more closely with the high and dense vegetation found bordering mowed zones.

12 14. Positive outcome : Over 90% of the infested areas have been controlled successfully. Billions of ragweed plants were deleted. Positive and proactive response from the general public and the media regarding our operations. Most of the infested areas were easily accessible. A detailed mapping of infested areas will be available for the season We improved the selection of technology for the application to be used depending on the infested area. Better adjustment of spray techniques depending on the degree of infestation and the stage of the plant. We improved the logistics of our operations. We have witnessed a significant reduction of ragweed cover in most areas that had been controlled in 2008, 2009 and Points to improve : The choice of implementation technology used by our subcontractors. Synchronize mowing operations carried out by municipal managers in relation to the ragweed control intervention frame. Better management of vacant lots, right of way, commercial and residential land. 16. Recommandations : GOALS SOLUTIONS Improve the quality and the uniformity of applications Instate a procedure code regarding the type of spraying technology to be used by our sub-contractors. Synchronize mowing operations to meet the intervene frame Better management of vacant lots and public right of way Notify in writing public managers of right of ways potentially infested to participate to the Collective Action Plan established by the local municipalities. Better management of private Residential lots Awareness and implementation of a bylaw.

13 17. Evaluation form completed by the participants : In view of the rapid development of our revolutionary technology and for the wellfounded of our mission, your comments and suggestions are essential. At the end of each season, we encourage each participant to rate our work and send in their comments and suggestions. Example of evaluations. Locating the plants Course of the operation Sub-contractor Product efficiency Product Selectivity Quality control Overall operation Evaluation rating 1 (mediocre) to 10 (excellent) 18. Global evaluation of the Provincial Collective Plan of Action operations Our company's mission that started more than a decade ago is to give back a better quality of life for all those who suffer from respiratory diseases by providing an ecological service of the highest rate. It is with great enthusiasm that we can now offer to private and public managers the opportunity to take action with a natural and effective solution to get rid of ragweed. The key to success is community engagement. BEFORE AFTER

14 19. Acknowledgements : On behalf of the Quebec population, we wish to thank you for your involvement. During our seasonal operations, we were able to count on the unconditional support of thousands of citizens who suffer from allergies who hope for an effective mode of action that could relieve their daily symptoms during pollen season. These people were all encouraged to promote the benefits of our interventions and support a collective desire to push the administrators to take action and to act more effectively in order to solve the problem of ragweed progression. It's up to us now to make sustainable efforts that will lead us to obtain excellent results. For this, it is essential to get the involvement of all public managers. All infested areas must be eradicated without exception!