It’s January, and San Francisco is brightened by the yellow oxalis springing up on green hillsides. Less bright, though, is the usual Blights of Spring – herbicides applied in our parks where our kids and pups play.

Here’s an idyllic scene in Glen Canyon – a beautiful trail, the grass dotted with yellow spring flowers. Not so idyllic: toxic herbicides are being sprayed in the hope of destroying those yellow spring flowers, even though they are less likely to damage the oxalis than the wildlife around and maybe children and pets.

The herbicides in use this time are Triclopyr (the active ingredient of Garlon, in a new formulation called Vastlan) and Aminopyralid (Milestone) – the very persistent pesticide. Also Polaris, or imazapyr.  This is why we support the ballot initiative to limit toxic herbicide use in San Francisco’s parks. Read about that here: https://stopherbicidessf.org/