Modifying Chatham-Kent’s Long Grass and Weeds Bylaw to Allow Environmental Naturalization Activities on Private Lands

Consultation has concluded

Background:

In the fall of 2020, Council approved a motion asking for recommendations for altering Chatham-Kent’s Long Grass and Weeds By-law (which can be found in the document library) that would allow appropriate environmental naturalization activities on private lands. In this case naturalization is defined as activities that return a portion of a private yard to a “natural state” using combinations of plants that are native to Chatham-Kent’s Carolinian eco-region. Unmanaged, unmaintained or abandoned yards would continue to be prohibited and adherence to the weed control act would continue to be require (i.e. you cant just stop maintaining your yard and call it a naturalization project, and you have to control weeds if/whenever they appear in your naturalization project).

The goals of this engagement are 3-fold:

Goal #1: The first is to gauge the public’s attitude towards the concept of naturalization on private properties in general.

Goal #2: The second goal is to ask the public if they have any concerns with naturalization activities depending on where the project is located (i.e. urban residential areas, rural residential areas, agricultural areas)

Goal #3: The third goal is to ask the public what form the By-law amendment should take.

Background:

In the fall of 2020, Council approved a motion asking for recommendations for altering Chatham-Kent’s Long Grass and Weeds By-law (which can be found in the document library) that would allow appropriate environmental naturalization activities on private lands. In this case naturalization is defined as activities that return a portion of a private yard to a “natural state” using combinations of plants that are native to Chatham-Kent’s Carolinian eco-region. Unmanaged, unmaintained or abandoned yards would continue to be prohibited and adherence to the weed control act would continue to be require (i.e. you cant just stop maintaining your yard and call it a naturalization project, and you have to control weeds if/whenever they appear in your naturalization project).

The goals of this engagement are 3-fold:

Goal #1: The first is to gauge the public’s attitude towards the concept of naturalization on private properties in general.

Goal #2: The second goal is to ask the public if they have any concerns with naturalization activities depending on where the project is located (i.e. urban residential areas, rural residential areas, agricultural areas)

Goal #3: The third goal is to ask the public what form the By-law amendment should take.