Longer grass along Medicine Hat’s paths and in parks is intentional, city says

“What we’re trying to do is utilize that taller growth, which sometimes can be weeds, especially with the rainfall that we’ve had, trying to keep that moisture in the soil,” Genio told CHAT News on Wednesday.

“Those taller grasses, those taller weeds actually cause shade, and then what that allows is the desirable vegetation to actually germinate and come up underneath.”

The city is now in the process of their annual mowing of the berms.

They have also noticed natural regeneration of grasses.

Genio acknowledges that it can look unsightly at times, but it will make sure there is good establishment in those areas.

Noting some of the maintained areas in the parks might look a little shaggier.

“Our methods to try and retain that moisture and our cultural methods in regards to what we’ve been doing in our parks to overseed and aerate and utilize proper fertilization techniques, as well as a little bit of an increase of the height of cut in our parks,” Genio said.

“Usually we mow it around three inches right now, or three and a half, just to kind of prepare ourselves knowing that August could get very hot.”

Genio said the maintained trails are mowed up to one meter off to the side.

“We usually do that maybe up to two times a year, we’re already in our second mowing and trimming of those areas,” Genio said.

“It just keeps that nice balance where there’s the trail, there’s a little bit extra, in case you maybe have to move off the side, you’re not going into the longer grass and just makes it a nicer appearance,” he added..

“Our staff and contractors are out there right now performing our second mowing already. And we most likely will have a third, possibly a fourth this year.”

Genio said they are currently working on a whole upgrade in terms of the cities urban forestry management plan.

“We have over 24,000 trees that are public trees that Parks and Recreation looks after for the best interest of our residents,” Genio said.

“We are monitoring all of the areas and we look in terms of clearance. We also utilize our awesome residents that provide us with information and areas where we might not be able to get to at a certain point in time. We are moving forward with a lot of extra foliage that we’re seeing this year, which is good,” he added.

“That means that our trees are mostly healthy. But it has increased some locations where we have to make sure that we have proper clearance on our trails, over playgrounds, and other locations as well.”

Genio adds the parks are attended by staff almost daily allowing them to monitor and maintain them.

“If they happen to see something that they feel needs work to be done, we have an internal service request portal that they’re able to send that to the responsible section of the department,” Genio said.

“In most cases, if they’re able to tackle it themselves, they might go away from their regular duties to go and pick up some garbage or something else like that, or if there’s a branch or something that they can pick up to keep our parks usable and clean. That’s what our staff strive to do.”

Genio is happy with the rainfall that we have had in Medicine Hat.

“With the concerns and currently being under phase one restrictions, we’re still abiding by that. It was great to be able to look at, you know, from rainfall and our conservation efforts to be able to open up our spray parks longer,” Genio said.

“We’ll continue to monitor that and our irrigation consumption. But right now, we’re looking forward to the remainder of the summer. Hopefully August brings a little bit of rainfall and, that sort of stuff to keep us looking as green and nice as we are right now.”

by Jesse Gill

Longer grass along Medicine Hat’s paths and in parks is intentional, city says

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