East Bay Pesticide Alert is encouraging people to go to hearings on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2005 to tell the City of Oakland why it should not reintroduce herbicides for wildfire prevention. They are encouraging people to go to the City's meetings and present as many alternatives to the toxci plan as possible. At 12:30pm the Public Works Committee meets, and at 4pm the Public Safety Department will convene, both in Hearing Room 1 in Oakland's City Hall, at 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. East Bay Pesticide Alert is also encouraging people to write "letters to the editor" and to also write to the city council to explain why herbicides should not be used in Oakland. Read more
Stop Toxic Trespass is asking for people to sign a " Do not reintroduce Pesticides in Oakland " Petition

On Wednesday, January 26th, there was a Town Hall meeting in Oakland to discuss the use of herbicides in wildfire prevention on city-owned property in the Oakland hills. East Bay Pesticide Alert and Stop Toxic Trespass were in attendance and demanded "non-toxic methods only" at the meeting, which was organized by the Wildlife Prevention Assessment District and Oakland Councilwoman Jean Quan. The district has been proposing selective use of the poisons to create fire-breaks in the same areas devastated by a 1991 firestorm. Many do not understand that pesticides can sicken, and even kill, people and animals. The herbicides in question are glyphosate (in formulations such as Round-up or Rodeo) and triclopyr (in formulations such as Garlon and Pathfinder). Both Glyphosate and Triclopyr (the active ingredient in Garlon 4) inhibit the work of mycorrhizal fungi, which help plants with nutrient uptake. Read more

Stop Toxic Trespass | East Bay Pesticide Alert | Oakland District 4 Councilmember Jean Quan | Diablo Fire Safe Council | Californians for Pesticide Reform | Pesticide Action Network North America