Ottawa's Greenbelt offers a natural escape for city residents, but it also presents the risk of tick bites and Lyme disease. Researchers at the University of Ottawa have been investigating methods to reduce tick populations in recreational areas, with promising results from a recent study on woodchips.
The study, published this month, explored the effectiveness of woodchips in reducing tick densities along trails in the Mer Bleue and Stony Swamp sectors of the Greenbelt. Katarina Ost, a researcher on the team, explained that ticks often climb vegetation to latch onto hikers and pets. Placing woodchips on trails prevents this vegetation from growing, thus deterring ticks. The team applied both untreated woodchips and woodchips treated with the pesticide deltamethrin to 20 sections of trail, each 50 metres long.
The results showed that untreated woodchips reduced tick populations by approximately half. Notably, woodchips treated with deltamethrin, a common pesticide, reduced the tick population by an impressive 99 percent. Ost noted that the pesticide "doesn't move much" once it adheres to a surface, posing minimal risk to pets. Dr. Kulkarni, a Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine's School of Epidemiology and Public Health, added, "This study shows that different environmental management strategies can be effective in reducing the number of host-seeking ticks along trail edges, where people are likely to encounter them".
These findings suggest a practical and eco-friendly approach to managing tick populations in popular woodland trails. As Lyme disease cases continue to rise in Canada, particularly in central and eastern regions, innovative and accessible solutions like woodchip application can play a crucial role in protecting public health.
