Day #309 Poison Ivy (picture later)

Now that springtime is bringing on new growth, much of that new growth will be poison ivy.
It seems that the higher CO2 levels are the perfect environment for it; one that it loves and thrives in. There are fields of it in Prince Edward County. Look through Sandbanks Provincial Park, Pt. Petre, The Millenium Trail, roadsides, conservation areas, and you'll see an extraordinary amount of it now.
Not only that, the toxin it now produces, thanks to global warming, is said to be stronger, more toxic than ever.
For those of you, like myself, who are sensitive, or super-sensitive, here are words of caution: as soon as you come back from hiking where poison ivy may have brushed against you, take the Sunlight dish soap with you into the shower. Lather yourself with it first, and then rinse off in cool water.
Launder your clothes right away, and, yes, you can effectively use the same soap.
Rinse off your shoes/boots in tepid or cool water, and wipe with a cloth dipped in the same - Sunlight dish soap.
Perhaps even rub down your bike.
Be sure to shampoo the dog in cool water afterward, too, and no harm to using some of the same soap treatment.
You might even want to rub down the car seats and steering wheel and your keys.
Whenever I get poison ivy, it is like having the flue for 2 weeks with 3rd degree burns as though I'd lain my hand, or whatever, flat on a hot stove. My face, when effected, blows up like a balloon, and I am no longer recognizable.
So you can understand my concern.
Even getting close enough to take this picture was extremely difficult and worrisome.
In spring, the leaves start out very red but by summer they are as green as any plant. The leaves always look wilted, though, and the cluster of 3 hangs down, droopy, like a plant needing water.
On most trees, the leaves are such that if you fold them in half, the edges of the two halves are identical. Think of the Canadian flag.
With poison ivy, you will see that one leaf may be smooth on one side or have one point, while the other side of the leaf may have one, two or three nibs/points. The leaves are never concentric.
Ontario Parks are nature parks so when you go swimming at places like Sandbanks, in some areas customers are actually wading through poison ivy growing perhaps a foot high or more on the sandy pathways.
Now, when you swim, it washes off in the cool water but when you head for home again ... well, you know the rest. There are no signs 'Warning: Poison Ivy' because there is simply acres of the stuff. In some areas, it has covered woodland trails among the pines.
The next time you hear a politician complain about the high cost of health care, remind them of poison ivy in Ontario parks and how very much it costs us, untold millions of tourists using emergency services at hospitals all through the summer every year. Children crying in pain, and adults losing time at work. The poison turns a ghastly golden yellow and drips down your legs. In the 1980's, one emergency doctor told me he had seen at least 10,000 cases of poison ivy reactions. Of course, this was here in PEC. Multiple that one doctor by the number of Ontario doctors times the number of years since and you can see the money flying out the political windows.
Poison ivy, as a problem, is entirely avoidable.
Teachers and parents can teach children to recognize it. Ads could be put on TV with warnings, and pictures of the plant from different angles.
Politicians could eradicate it from public (hiking/swimming) areas of their provincial parks.
Let's ask all Ontario MPP's to walk through the poison ivy patches. Think that might get some action?
I sent the ministers involved (tourism, health, parks) a letter 3 or 4 years ago, and received double talk back for my time. I also put it in the local newspaper. They, at least, co-operate.
Politicians consider one letter the equivalent of 1000 voter-voices. Perhaps you all could help and send a letter, too, or sign a copy of this one from me and mail it in.
Still, I don't suggest you stay inside this summer. Get out and enjoy Mother Nature. It's not her fault that the world is out of balance right now.
Actually, poison ivy is a deceptively attractive plant, but very hard for me to get a good photo of. It psyches me out!
Karen