Hansville Greenway Update
“Tick
tick tick” is the sound of time passing.
The clock’s ticking is a reminder to end one task and move to the next,
in a never-ending list of things to do, places to be, and people to see. Let the next tick of the clock be a reminder
to step away from the list, to take a break from work and take a walk in the
Greenway. Step away from the desk, leave
the ticking clock behind to venture into the woods and listen instead to the
sounds of singing birds and ribbiting frogs. When the ticking of the timer
ends, and you enter the forest, remember there is another tick you may
encounter. This one is difficult to
detect; it is silent, creeps and crawls, and is hard to see.
The
Greenway forest is full of ticks!
Memorial Day marks the height of tick season in western Washington. The thought of a tick crawling on me or
jumping onto my head is a disgusting thought, and it happens more than I care
to think. Humans and other animals,
including my favorite canine companion, are fair game when it comes to hosting
a tick’s thirst for blood. Ticks
survive, no, they thrive on blood, taking what they need before releasing their
grip and moving on. A tick’s place in
the forest is both beneficial and troublesome.
Ticks
help overpopulated animal species maintain healthy numbers through the spread
of diseases. Ticks are food for other
forest-dwelling inhabitants such as frogs and other reptiles, birds, and
opossums. Ticks also carry diseases that
pose a hazard to our furry friends and us.
While
ticks play a beneficial role in the Greenway by controlling over-populated
wildlife species and giving themselves up as a food source, they also are a
concern for humans and our furry walking companions as a potential source of
Lyme disease, so make sure you dress appropriately to keep the little buggers
from latching on to you.
Appropriate
clothing to wear includes long pants, tucked into your socks; long sleeve
shirt, tucked into your pants; and a hat.
It is also advisable to wear light-colored clothing to contrast with the
tick’s dark color, making them easier to spot.
To learn
more about ticks visit the Washington Department of Health website at
https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Ticks
As
usual, the volunteer trail stewards have been busy maintaining the trails so we
all can enjoy them safely. They are an
integral part of the Greenway trail system and much appreciated.
The next
scheduled Greenway meeting is June 6, 2019, 6:00 pm at the GHCC.