Residents concerned about weeds in Harbour Landing environmental reserve

The environmental reserve in Regina's Harbour Landing has become a growing concern for some of the neighbourhood residents.

Diane Anaquod said the reserve has not been maintained properly.

Anaquod is particularly worried about the abundance of the foxtail barley plant, which is harmful to dogs, in the area. 

"When we initially moved here we knew it was going to be an environmental reserve," she said. "However all of the paperwork and the photographs were all these very pristine images of green space. And that's what we kind of expected. The last few years they had been at least mowing all of this space and for some reason this year they stopped."

She said her daughter has two dogs and has spent more than $1,000 on veterinarian bills because of foxtail.

"We're in a very highly populated residential area," she said. "[It's] nice to have an environmental reserve, but it needs to be maintained. The weeds have got to go, they're dangerous."

The city held a virtual meeting with residents earlier this week to listen to their concerns.

Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkin, whose ward includes Harbour Landing, said the environmental reserve is a natural area that is generally kept in its natural state.

"It's a creek that runs along a kind of little ravine and it's designed to support natural drainage and habitats in the area."

Hawkins said this year has seen great conditions for growth and unfortunately that includes weeds such as foxtail, thistle and dandelions.

"That's caused a challenge," he said.

"Those weeds started to run up against the fences of the properties that border the reserve. And people were understandably concerned because they want to keep their backyards nice and they don't want weed seeds blowing into them."

Hawkins said the city has now set up a maintenance schedule which clears out the weeds and the high grasses from around the fences of those properties down to a walking path on either side. 

The city is going to allow the area on the other side of the walking path, going down to a nearby drainage ditch, to evolve into a natural reserve.

"But we're going to watch it," Hawkins said. "We're going to spot check for weeds. We're going to mow twice a year. We're generally going to create a condition where the natural prairie grasses can push out the weeds in the areas below the walking paths down to the drainage ditch."

Hawkins said it will be a real asset having some nature in the heart of the neighbourhood as the reserve becomes more established.

"Anybody who lives in the country will have seen that foxtail is all over the place, so this is one of the bad years and we're taking extra care to get that foxtail under control," Hawkins said, adding, "As the prairie grasses establish themselves they will push the foxtail out of the area."

There are also environmental reserves in other parts of the city. Hawkins said they enhance those areas.

"They are a bit of natural Saskatchewan in the heart of the city," he said.

"I see, in two or three years, a wonderful walking area and a great bit of nature that will enhance Harbour Landing."