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Many property owners take pride in weed-free, well-fertilized lawns that are mowed regularly to look as much as possible like golf courses.
But the MRC des Collines de l’Outaouais, the regional municipality in rural West Quebec, wants to ban lawnmowing within five metres of lakes, rivers and creeks to encourage trees and shrubs that will filter out water pollution.
Stéphane Mougeot, the municipality’s director of planning, says anyone caught mowing grass within five metres of the water will face a minimum $300 fine starting in spring 2009 if the Quebec ministry of municipal affairs approves a new bylaw. Businesses would face fines of $2,000 to $4,000 for subsequent offences.
The municipalities affected include Cantley, Chelsea, L’Ange-Gardien, La Pêche, Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Pontiac and Val-des-Monts.
Many people in Val-des-Monts, north of Gatineau, are already planting anything but grass near lakeside homes.
The municipality is encouraging people to grow trees, shrubs, vines and even weeds to prevent erosion and filter out phosphates (from fertilizers) that can produce toxic blue-green algae blooms. Blue-green algae can cause a skin rash and has been linked to stomach pains, diarrhea and fever. In severe cases, it attacks the nervous system or internal organs.
A Quebec government publication says phosphates, septic tanks and the removal of shore vegetation are human factors contributing to the formation of blooms, which can look like broccoli soup.
Property owners say West Quebec algae blooms have been minor, but complain that they reduce property values.
Last year, as hundreds of lakes across Quebec were faced with blue-green algae, the municipality of Lac-Simon adopted a bylaw outlawing fertilizer and detergent containing phosphates and protecting a 10-metre strip of vegetation on the lake’s shore.
An environmental group, the Fédération des Lacs de Val-Des-Monts, has hired a biologist, using a $24,000 grant from Environment Canada and money from Val-des-Monts. The group distributed 2,500 trees, shrubs, and perennials such as milkweed and Joe-Pye weed in August at a reduced price.
Patrick Fredette, a biologist with the federation, explains to property owners how using native plants and trees instead of grass can improve water quality.
Mr. Fredette said 65 of the 75 property owners he visited at McGregor Lake in the summer decided to plant pine, spruce, birch, ash or oak trees or shrubs like sweet gale and honeysuckle.
“I don’t think there is a big problem with McGregor Lake, but there was blue-green algae there last year, so we are trying to keep it from coming back,” he said. “People can take out their lawns if they want to, especially the first 15 metres of grass. But the easiest thing to do is to stop mowing the lawn near the lake.”
Mr. Fredette said the municipality is inspecting all septic systems within 100 metres of any lake and will soon pump them out every two to four years to control pollution. The municipality has also banned chemical fertilizers.
Quebec will prohibit the sale of dishwashing detergent containing phosphate by 2010.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008