HUDSON – There are very few defences against seasonal allergies, but Hudson has cut a deal with its residents to reduce the presence of ragweed this summer.
The small town, just west of Montreal, is holding a contest called Ragweed: Wanted – Dead.
Julia Schroeder, Director of Parks and Recreation, said the contest was created in reaction to public interest in finding a solution to this pesky problem.
“Several years ago, Hudson banned pesticide and herbicide use,” Shroeder told Global News.
“All green-site maintenance must be of a practical nature, which is eco-friendly, non-disruptive, inexpensive and sustainable.”
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Shroeder has personally donated $100 of her own money to give as a reward to the contest winner.
“If we can pick it faster than it can grow, we figure we have a chance to make a dent in the propagation of ragweed,” she told Global News.
Though the plant can never be completely eradicated, Hudson said it’s working to engage its residents in a creative and positive way.
“Hudson is a town built from communal action and personal commitment,” said Shroeder.
Ragweed allergies affect one in six people in Quebec, starting in mid-July when male plants release pollen.
For anyone with severe allergies, the symptoms can stick around until the first frost.
The plant can grow pretty much anywhere due its resilient nature, but is especially common along railroad tracks, construction sites and empty lots.
According to Santé et Services Sociaux Québec, seasonal allergies like ragweed are significantly more aggressive – and will stay that way for the next few years – due to higher global temperatures and increased carbon dioxide emissions.
The only effective way to reduce the plant’s effect is to cut or mow it down to stop pollen from spreading in the air.
The contest in Hudson will run until Sept. 14.
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