As an update I want to share excerpts from recent e-mail exchanges I have had with Willis Winters, the Director of the Parks Department. Note that he states a commitment to sustainable management and maintenance practices AND has agreed to posting signs when chemical pesticides and herbicides are used. Me:...We DO need New Parks Management Practices. The Parks Dept has been unresponsive to community requests made repeatedly for months regarding Management Practices at WRL. Changes should include mandated IPM practice (which I have heard is imminent, but not public knowledge). The Parks Dept should be spearheading best management practice initiatives in our community by setting the example and leading conservation efforts to protect our natural resources. There should be a project to create some pesticide free parks so kids and immune suppressed citizens can enjoy at least some of our parks without risk. Other cities are so far ahead of us in this regard with a fraction of our resources. These initiatives save money as opposed to spending and can start today - no need for consultants. Just a shift in priorities. Response: I agree that DPR should be a leader in sustainable management and maintenance practices and I envision a day when we are nationally recognized for this. This is a goal and mission that I hope will emerge (with public input and participation) from the Comprehensive Plan update described above. My staff and I are committed to this. Respectfully, I do not agree that we lag behind other large urban cities in this regard. We will be undertaking another study this Fall where we will “benchmark” our department against other peer cities. Included in this benchmarking study will be sustainable park maintenance practices. Me: ...I appreciate your statement of commitment to a sustainable parks management system. As of this week, spreading of Round-up continues in the meadows near Big Thicket. One initiative you could begin today for the community is to post signage around areas treated with herbicides or pesticides stating what was applied and when. I know you have had health issues, so Im hoping you believe people deserve to be informed so we can choose for ourselves how much risk due to exposure we are OK with. Response: ....I will say that I have already spoken with staff about posting signs and that we are very willing to do this. Thanks for your patience.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 21:29:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015