Starting on January 24, the City of Toronto's Urban Forestry department is coming to control several invasive plant species including Norway Maple, Manitoba Maple and Common Buckthorn in the Humber Arboretum with a pesticide. This work is vital in protecting the health and well-being of our local plants, animals, and ecosystems because these invasive species crowd out and shade native vegetation and young trees and cause soil erosion due to lack of ground cover.

Qualified City of Toronto Urban Forestry staff will be using a pesticide to help control these invasive plants in the Arboretum's Environmentally Significant Area, woodlands, and adjacent slopes as well as other areas. Information signage will be posted by city staff, along with the standard warning signage, to provide more information to Arboretum users. Warning signage is posted 24 hours before treatment, and is removed 48 hours following treatment, according to Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks guidelines.

Legislation: The Cosmetic Pesticide Ban, Regulation 63/09 under the Pesticides Act, allows some exceptions for non-cosmetic use of pesticides including a forestry exemption. The use of pesticides in forestry is essential to protect trees from competing vegetation in the maintenance or establishment of a forest. For more information about the Ontario Legislation call 416.325.4000 or visit ene.gov.on.ca/en/land/pesticides.

For more information about City of Toronto Forestry Management, please visit toronto.ca/trees.