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.