Where Naperville parks are switching to natural herbicides next year

Naperville Park District plans to go natural next year, maintaining eight of its 137 parks with all organic or nonsynthetic products.

The move means the district will maintain 75 of its 2,400 acres with natural fertilizers, herbicides and weed products instead of synthetic substances such as Roundup, weed and feed or broad-leaved weed spray, said Kevin Finnegan, director of parks.

The change will increase spending on plant protectants by $18,000 and on fertilizer by $26,000 for next year's budget, bringing total spending in the two categories to $191,235.

The district has been pursuing an environmentally conscious direction since 2004, when it began maintaining Knoch Park with organic products. But efforts kicked into high gear this summer when a group called Non-Toxic Naperville voiced concerns about Roundup use at playgrounds.

"I did not want my daughter to have unnecessary exposure to pesticides for purely cosmetic purposes such as weed abatement," said Elizabeth Catherwood, who leads Non-Toxic Naperville. "Children spend more time on the grass and dirt than your average adult, which in turn makes them at greater risk."

Non-Toxic Naperville leaders say they're grateful for the park district's response to stop using Roundup around all 73 playgrounds, effective in June.

"We thought it was going to be a little bit harder for them to change their minds," group member Jacklyn Cook said. "But it looked like in the end it was more of a value for them."

In an email to parks supporters this weekend, Executive Director Ray McGury said Cook is exactly right.

"Environmental stewardship is one of our organization's core values," McGury's email said.

That's why the district is expanding its organic experiment, which appears to have been working.

"I am happy and am not seeing an overgrowth of weeds," Catherwood said.

All 73 playgrounds - and the areas surrounding them in a 15-foot radius - will continue to be chemical-free, Finnegan said, as will all 39 acres of Knoch Park. Joining those areas are seven parks chosen for their varied locations and amenities: College Park, Columbia Commons, Cress Creek Park, Crestview Knoll, Dorothea Weigand Riverfront Park, Kingshill Park, Knoch Park and Kroehler Park.

Finnegan said the district will use products including Phydura, Scythe, Finalsan Herbicide and Pulverize Organic Weed Killer. Organic weed killers, which typically contain vinegar and clove oil, wilt weeds above the surface but won't affect the root, making return visits a must.

"The key to an organic-based program is multiple applications of fertilizers and aerations and topical dressings with compost," Finnegan said. "All of these basically help to improve the health of the turf."

The park district plans to monitor the soil health of the eight organic parks for the next two years and to seek volunteer help in keeping organically treated areas weed-free.

"We know that dandelions don't pose a risk to children," Catherwood said. "But harmful pesticides do."