March 19th Friends Minutes

[Jennifer Ross]

Hello Everyone,
Sorry if you missed last night. I thought we accomplished a lot or at
least shared a lot of information. Please read the minutes to stay
informed. Thanks!

--
Jennifer Ross
Watertown Riverfront Coordinator
303-250-6396
jr...@watertownfoundation.org

[Anne Benaquist]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I have a commitment on Monday and missed the meeting. Just wanted to say I found it hazardous to volunteer in the Charles River Cleanups in the past because I've contracted poison ivy several times doing my civic duty. Has that been a problem for anyone else? I'd certainly rejoin the cleanups if the poison ivy could be removed.

Anne Benaquist

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> <Notes from Friends 3-19-2012.docx>

[Katherine Diamond]

The Charles River Cleanup used to be scheduled earlier in the spring before the poison ivy leafed out. I too have regretted that several years ago they changed it to a later date.

Kathy Diamond
24 Hersom Street
Watertown, MA 02472
617-926-6025
fax 866-926-0980
kath...@comcast.net

[Leslie Turek]

I had a bad case of poison ivy after a cleanup one year. It hadn't leafed out yet (if it had leafed out, I would have spotted it), but you can get it from the stems as well. 

I used to argue for removal of the poison ivy along the river, but the conservation commission protects it because it's a native plant and provides food for the birds.  

So I stopped participating in the cleanup for that reason. If you do participate, I'd recommend wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. And as soon as you're done, take off your clothes and throw them in the laundry and take a shower and scrub yourself down thoroughly with soap. If you can get the oil off your skin within a few hours, you may avoid developing a rash. You might also want to put a towel on your car seat that you throw in the wash as well. 

Good luck!

Leslie Turek

[Ernesta Kraczkiewicz]

There are also lotions at the pharmacy that can protect you or you can use to scrub with after exposure.

Ernesta

[Zubrowski, Eileen]

I wonder if the DCR could go after some of the poison ivy. It's really
spreading. They'd really need to suit up.

Eileen Z

[Leslie Turek]

Sad to say, global warming is helping the poison ivy. It flourishes with higher CO2 content in the atmosphere. See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/060530-warming.html.

Leslie

[David Jay]

Danielle from the CRC has been hounding the DCR to take care of the PI, perhaps they will finally come through though they will never get all of it.  Old shoes, long sleeves, long work gloves (extending well beyond the wrist), watchfulness, and a wash in cold or warm water afterwards with Technu (Hot water will open the pores).  If symptoms appear, more Technu (available at CVS).

I've had it so often I'm developing an immunity.

David Jay

[Judy Fallows]

you may feel you're developing an immunity with repeated exposure to poison ivy, but it can work in the other direction, and sometimes the more you are exposed the more sensitive you become. and Tecnu is for washing off the oil, it's not protective. I believe the only actual protection is what's described below- cover your skin as best you can and wash off the coverings after. be vigilant out there!

Judy Fallows