To the editor:
I am writing in response to your article of December 2, entitled “Conservation Commission pilot project raises concerns”. While we welcome public engagement in our work, and the interest of the Hardwick Gazette, your article contains a number of inaccuracies which I would like to address as Chair of the Greensboro Conservation Commission (GCC).
You quote from a letter sent to the GCC by Zoryan Ivakhiv-Gray that incorrectly conflates Glyphosate, PFAS and forever-chemicals. At no time has the GCC ever considered the use of PFAS / forever-chemicals. Glyphosate is neither and binds and breaks down in the soil in less than six months. At our last meeting, after much research and discussion over the last couple of years, we approved two pilot projects, with the consent of the property owners, to run a trial of stem injected glyphosate by a licensed professional in Greensboro in the fall of 2026. The goal of this pilot is to directly assess the financial viability, practical efficacy, and environmental safety of that approach to managing invasive knotweed on a small scale. As we have researched the matter, and consulted with other towns and conservation organizations in Vermont we have found that the professional and conservative application of glyphosate is an important conservation tool to address the rampant spread of invasive species such as knotweed and phragmites to protect our natural habitats and pollinators.
You suggest that the GCC voted on herbicide treatment “instead of exploring both options.” This is inaccurate and misleading. The public record of our minutes dating back several years shows that we are currently managing a number of sites through mechanical means and have conducted public workshops and educational events exploring that method.
You state on December 2, that Mr Ivakhiv-Gray sent his letter to the GCC “earlier this month” implying little time for dialogue or a GCC response before publication. In fact it was sent to the GCC several weeks ago and there has been a lengthy subsequent dialogue with Will Marlier, our invasives management lead on the GCC, addressing his concerns, clarifying the GCC position and the inaccuracies in the correspondence, and inviting future dialogue at our next public meeting in January. We would have been happy to provide commentary on your article prior to publication had we been asked.
In conclusion, in considering these two pilot projects we hope that we can achieve the eradication of the knotweed present at these pilot sites and replace it with pollinator-friendly native species within three or four years rather than the decade plus it will take us using mechanical methods. In so doing we plan to demonstrate to the community how this tool can be used safely and effectively alongside other tools like mechanical management supported by community volunteers.
Chris Steel, chair
Greensboro Conservation Commission
