We’re sharing details from the City on the 2025 Wild Parsnip Strategy.
To start, what is wild parsnip and how can you identify it? Please review these helpful resources from ontario.ca.
Image credit: ontario.ca
The City has shared that the 2025 Wild Parsnip Strategy is anticipated to start on May 26, 2025, weather permitting. Wild parsnip is an invasive plant that is increasingly common within the City of Ottawa and may pose a health risk to humans. The plant sap contains chemicals that may cause skin and eye irritation and make the skin prone to burning and blistering when exposed to the sun. The goal of the program is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in highly infested areas while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not adversely impacted.
Approximately 1,200 lane kilometers of roadsides, and several parkland locations will be treated this year. A full listing of the infestation levels and planned treatment locations on roadsides is available here: Wild Parsnip Strategy Map 2025.
For details on how to report wild parsnip, poison ivy or giant hogweed, please visit the City of Ottawa website.