The Dedham Conservation Commission and the Neighbors of Weld Pond both have good intentions for the local ecosystem. They differ, however, on the best approach to take to keep invasive plants out of the pond.
The Neighbors are right; the weeds are a problem. Invasive species like watermilfoil—introduced into New England years ago by humans—grow out of control and choke out the plants and animals that naturally populate the area. This is not just a matter of making the pond prettier or easier to swim. It’s a matter of conserving our region’s natural wildlife.
About five years ago, the Conservation Commission gave the Neighbors the go-ahead to use chemical herbicides to kill nuisance vegetation on the floor of the 28-acre, man-made pond. The program has been working, the Neighbors say, and now it’s up for renewal.
Some members of the Conservation Commission, however, are hesitant about using chemicals, and they are right to be so. Chemical herbicides and pesticides have, in the past, wreaked havoc on the environment in many parts of the world. It’s never a good idea to use them when there are practical alternatives. As Conservation Commissioner Marilyn Beck pointed out, there’s no telling if a chemical—even a federally-approved one—will have some unforeseen effect on the pond and the surrounding area in the future. It would not be the first time something like that happened.
Chemicals might be the only answer at Weld Pond. Handpicking the thousands of weeds there would not be feasible, said Gerald Smith, the president of Aquatic Control Technology, the company hired to conduct the removal.
As the conservation commissioners draft conditions for approving the use of chemicals, they should consider including, in addition to twice-yearly water testing, that the Neighbors continue to research non-chemical alternatives. If a solution does not exist now, it might in the future.
