John Kemp said he sometimes feels like he’s fighting a losing battle against the giant hogweed.
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But the St. George resident and a small group of other volunteers continue to don their hazmat suits and arm themselves with shovels as they work to eradicate the imposing noxious plant, which can grow up to 15 feet tall, from along the banks of the Grand River.
“Each leaf is bigger than me,” said Kemp of the towering plant. “The stock can be five feet across.”
The giant hogweed is an invasive species and a growing problem in southern Ontario. Sap from the plant can make a person’s skin extremely sensitive to sunlight and cause severe burns, sometimes up to third-degree burns. Touching hogweed can cause inflammation and blisters that might not be noticed for days. If sap gets into the eyes, it can lead to blindness.
“It can cause a full penetration sunburn,” said Kemp. “If you’re walking along with flip-flops, it can cause medical distress to your feet and ankles.”
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The Grand River Conservation Authority reports giant hogweed has been found on several of its properties near Belwood Lake, St. Jacobs, Kitchener and Cambridge. Kemp said the plant’s seeds float downstream from Kitchener and St. Jacobs into Brantford.
Kemp founded the Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project back in 2019. So far this month, volunteers have extracted more than 350 pounds of seeds from giant hogweed plants in the Grand River main course, more than was collected all last summer.
Removing the seeds requires cutting down the towering seed heads, which are taken to landfill for disposal.
“Our continuing volunteer efforts aren’t going to be able to prevent all the seeds from propagating this year,” said Kemp. “That means the invasion profile will continue to escalate at about 500 per cent per year. 2028 will mark a nearly complete wall of giant hogweed for sections of the river.”
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He says the best way for people to protect themselves is by knowing what hogweed looks like and where it grows. Locally, Kemp said there are some plants on the floodplain by the Bell Homestead, on Kerby Island, on both sides of the river by Brant Park and between the shore and trails in the Oak Park area.
Kemp said it’s important for people to report the locations of giant hogweed when they spot them and the involvement of landowners in removing the plants is “crucial.”
“Most of the time they don’t know the plant is on their land,” he said. “We knock on their doors and tell them. They’re almost always totally agreeable to taking it down.”
If you spot giant hogweed on GRCA-owned land, such as a conservation area or other signed property, email its land management department. If you spot it on your own property, private land, a municipal park or other areas, such as along a riverbank or stream, contact your local municipal weed inspector. Removal of the plant is best done by a professional.
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The GRCA notes the giant hogweed is part of the carrot family and can sometimes be confused with other common plants, such as cow parsnip and angelica.
Kemp said municipal budgets are insufficient to ensure the safety of outdoor enthusiasts and the giant hogweed problem needs to be tackled at a provincial level.
“It’s becoming naturalized,” said Kemp. “We’re going to lose the river unless we can change some attitudes.”
The best way to avoid giant hogweed is to stay on trails. If going off the trail, wear shoes, socks and long pants. If you get sap on your skin, you should immediately wash with soap and water, keep the area covered and contact a health professional.
Anyone who’d like to volunteer for the Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project can get more information at [email protected].
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