Back in the summer of 2012, I became alarmed when I saw yellow pesticide application signs on the edge of Pinkney Park because it’s situated along the Five Mile River, which provides habitat for aquatic organisms, fish, songbirds, amphibians and small mammals.
It is also the site of many community events, such as Shakespeare on the Sound, where families and children sit directly on the lawn.
I learned from the lawncare company it used Quinclorac for weed and crab grass control. I then reached out to the D.C.-based non-profit Beyond Pesticides to get more information about the product and found out that the chemical is a potential groundwater contaminant and considered toxic to aquatic animals.
I worked with commissioners to make Pinkney Park an organic showpiece for the community in 2013, and other public land areas such as the Community Center property, the Rowayton Dog Park and Bailey Beach all are now pesticide free.