At the request of some residents, the city of Dubuque is reducing the amount of pesticides and other chemicals used in its parks. In 9 of its 50 parks, the Leisure Services Department has created landscaping that needs less maintenance, and will rely instead on mulching, mowing, and hand-weeding.
Department manager, Marie Ware, says it's just not practical to eliminate the use of all chemicals right now, but figures this is a good first step.
Dubuque will also stop chemically treating all the playgrounds in the city, and find other ways to control weeds and other pests.
Ware says the Leisure Services Department is studying what other changes it might make next year, and looking at less toxic replacements for the pesticides it uses now.
Long-term the city is considering ways to develop what she calls an "integrated pest management program" to reduce the use of chemicals in all of Dubuque's outdoor and indoor facilities.
(People can sign up to receive notifications about when and where chemical treatment of parks is occurring in Dubuque. Go to the website cityofdubuque.org)
