City advising dog owners of foxtail grass in the off-leash area

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The city’s parks department is reviewing the best options to control the foxtail grass 

The City of Chestermere is working to find the best solution to control foxtail grass in the off-leash dog area.

“A big constraint that we have is that it cannot be chemically controlled due to the proximity to the lake. At this point, mechanical control seems to be our best option. We are looking for the best mechanical process as well as determining the best timing for the procedure,” said the City of Chestermere Parks Manager, Rick Van Gelder.

“In the meantime, we advise that residents keep a close eye on their dogs, to be safe. If they are known to eat weeds, we suggest keeping them on leashes for the time being,” he added. 

A foxtail is a spikelet or cluster of grass that serves to disperse its seeds as a unit. 

The name “foxtail” is applied to grasses that have bushy spikes that resemble the tail of a fox.

Foxtail grass is commonly found in open areas, including hiking trails, along roadsides, in natural parks, open fields, and at the top of grass spikes.

“Foxtails and grass seed awns are designed to do one thing, burrow. This is how the grass spreads as the seed slowly makes its way deeper into the soil and becomes lodged when the barb-like spines set in place. This is why foxtails are a hazard to dogs,” Van Gelder said.

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