Landcare Management Advisory Committee

City of Portland Landcare Management Advisory Committee Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 6:30 PM The Landcare Management Advisory Committee will conduct this meeting remotely via Zoom. Allow your computer to install the free Zoom app to get the best meeting experience. If you are not able to attend live either in person or via Zoom, a recording will be available in the Agenda Center following the meeting. To submit written public comment on an agenda item, email landcare@portlandmaine.gov. Submissions must be received by 12:00 pm the day before the LMAC meeting to guarantee their inclusion in the agenda packet. All submissions must include the commenter's name and legal address. To help ensure your comment is submitted for the correct item, please include the name of the agenda item (see below). For remote access to the meeting: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81426005346?pwd=VQwnxhUpHLk88i9PaJzi3ysUmVwLrO.1 1. Review and approve minutes a. Minutes from March 4 2. General discussion 3. Designate Chair and Waiver Committee 4. Set Next Meeting Date 1 Page 1  CITY OF PORTLAND, MAINE Landcare Management Advisory Committee March 4, 2025 Start time: 6:30 PM DRAFT Minutes March 4, 2025 Attendance: Jesse O’Brien, Carol Laboissonniere, Avery Kamila, Troy Moon, Melissa Runstrom, Katie Tims, Noah Tucker, Priscilla Skerry, Brenda Kirlin Review and Approve February 4, 2025, Minutes Minutes were approved unanimously. Annual Pesticide Applicator Report presented Katie Tims and Troy Moon presented the annual pesticide applicator report. The report summarizes the activities that the committee, Parks, Recreation, and Facilities, and the Office of Sustainability conducted related to landcare ordinances, as well as all of the pesticide applicator reports. Troy Moon presented a spreadsheet of the pesticides reportedly used, the active ingredient, and the target pest. Troy Moon mentioned that one person reported using Iron HEDTA, which is not registered as organic. Avery Kamila suggested looking at the ordinance to see what it specifically prohibits and permits, and to then decide if it would be permissible based on the ordinance language. Noah Tucker mentioned that Iron HEDTA has synthetic properties, which is why it is not organic. Melissa Runstrom asked for clarification on products which affect mosquitos and ticks, and Troy Moon explained that all products which affect mosquitos and ticks are exempt from the ordinance. Avery Kamila asked for clarification on products highlighted in the draft report. Katie Tims, Troy Moon, and Brenda Kirlin clarified that they were cleaning products. Avery Kamila noted that the applications which occurred at Riverside Golf Course and Hadlock Field were specifically called out in the report, but that a third party applied the products and filed the report for Hadlock Field; Ms. Kamila suggested noting in the report which company applied the products. Jesse O’Brien asked where the copper sulfate was applied, and Mr. Moon stated that he would check. Avery Kamila mentioned that this opportunity to reach out to applicators and find guidance is important. Mr. Moon stated that the report would be submitted to the Sustainability and Transportation Committee the next week. Ms. Kamila stated that she thought it was a good report, that the spreadsheet added value to the report, and that she was also curious about the copper sulfate. Ms. Kamila stated that the City of Portland could choose to carve out additional requirements if it wished to do so, in addition to the OMRI standards, which are based on USDA standards, and that they could be more restrictive than agriculture. Page 2 Mr. O’Brien stated that if it was all right, he would share it with the City of South Portland, where copper sulfate is currently being applied to apple trees, and a new class of bio-fungicides are being considered for use instead, as they are less toxic than copper sulfate. Ms. Kamila stated that she agreed and would have to find out more information on the bio-fungicides that South Portland wants to legalize. Mr. Moon invited the member of the public watching the webinar to use the raise-your-hand feature and speak if they wished to do so. Mr. Moon stated that this was the end of the agenda. Ms. Kamila motioned to approve the report. Mr. O’Brien and Ms. Laboissoniere seconded the motion. All committee members voted in favor of approving the report. Ms. Kamila stated that the committee had avoided discussing the events from the previous evening’s city council meeting, at which several amendments had been proposed. Ms. Kamila stated that it is incumbent upon the committee to do their do diligence and do their educational mission and help large landowners transition to organic methods. Ms. Kamila mentioned that Cheverus High School is considering putting in an astroturf field, and mentioned the effects of doing so. Melissa Runstrom mentioned that this is a great educational opportunity and within the wheelhouse of the committee to make sure that when there is not an organic solution, like with the grubs, that they are being proactive in providing the best practices from start to finish. She stated that she knew they did not want to be in the habit of recommending specific contractors, but wanted to know what would be possible from the City perspective. Priscilla Skerry stated that she had looked at the pesticide quiz from MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) and that it helped to understand what is going on at a legislative level, and that instructing the people of Cheverus to read it might give them a better idea of why the committee is concerned. Ms. Kamila stated that Cheverus High School needed to renovate the field; she stated that she had not personally visited, but that based on the reports, she was sure it was compacted and had little organic matter, that it was not about what products were being used, but rather building soil fertility. Ms. Kamila stated that it is difficult to build this on performance turf because the fields are so high-use, but that she believes it is possible. Noah Tucker asked for clarification on how the committee moved from hearing nothing about grubs to needing an ordinance change to allow for the use of chlorantraniliprole. Mr. Moon stated that part of this was because, in order to apply chlorantraniliprole, or Acelepryn, the window to do the treatment would open in May. If they missed that window, it would not be Page 3 effective later. Mr. Moon clarified that a change to an ordinance would be necessary because chlorantraniliprole is applied with broadcast spreaders, which are prohibited by the ordinance, and therefore the application method is ineligible for consideration of a waiver. There was no means for a waiver to be given. It was outside of the purview of the ordinance. Mr. Tucker asked if another application method would have made them eligible for a waiver, and Mr. Moon stated that they intended to treat the entire area by broadcast spraying, which is prohibited in the ordinance. Ms. Laboissonniere asked Mr. O’Brien how far down into the soil the grubs were right now. Mr. O’Brien stated that right now, they are just below the frost line. Ms. Laboissonniere inquired about the deepest point that the grubs go, and Mr. O’Brien stated that he would not know, but that typically they go down in the soil just below the frost line, and go up when the frost line goes up. Mr. O’Brien stated that sometimes, we get frost three feet around here. Ms. Laboissonniere conjectured that remediating the soil, as Ms. Kamila had mentioned, would require removing three feet of soil. Mr. O’Brien stated that this would not really be the case. He stated that in his personal experience, if there are grubs, and the turf is ruined and then removed by mechanical means, that shakes up the living space of those grubs, and they go in shock and die. He had never had an issue with the grubs coming right back up after resodding, but noted that this was just anecdotal. He stated that the literature sometimes recommends removing the first two or three inches, or using a spiker and killing the grubs, and noted that Cheverus had done soil aeration. Ms. Laboissonniere clarified that Cheverus would have to excavate to put in artificial turf, and Mr. O’Brien stated that they would need gravel and sand, not natural soil. The committee then discussed the issue of artificial turf versus natural turf for athletic fields and the effects of plastic turf on environmental health. Mr. O’Brien called for a motion to adjourn, Mr. Moon stated that he was so moved, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:20PM. Set Next Meeting Date The next meeting will follow typical meeting schedule and will be held on April 1, 2025, at 6:30pm. Adjourned at 7:20 PM Page 4