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Let’s learn a bit about a particularly hazardous invasive plant to watch out for this summer.
Podcast Topics
Scouter John Kemp of the 5th Brant Troop joins Scouter Ken to discuss giant hogweed, an invasive plant that looks a bit like cow parsnip, and which grows near watercourses. Anyone out exploring in the bush should take care to avoid contact with giant hogweed; the sap damages the skin in a way that causes it to develop a severe burn when exposed to sunlight.
John is also part of a group of volunteers who track growths of giant hogweed, and work with municipal authorities to eliminate it, and this episode is all about how to identify giant hogweed, how to report its presence, and how to be safe around it.
Important giant hogweed resources:
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Music
Upbeat Rock (Good News), by Alex Grohl
Scouter and founder of the Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project
I grew up in the farming countryside and forests. I have always had an appreciation for nature, detail, and science. I discovered giant hogweed while preparing a scouting event that we named “In Search of Poison” - looking for poisonous plants. This was to help youth to identify and avoid them while exploring.
This became a near- obsession when I found that this monster was moving into my neighborhood.
A few episodes you might want to get started with.
