Forest companies use herbicides to kill deciduous trees and bushes and to clear an area before planting a commercially desired species. They also spray insecticides against forest insects - often with disastrous results. When the budworm outbreak in New Brunswick in 1952 was sprayed with DDT, the outbreak spread over an area four times the size of the initial spray zone. Tons of pesticides are sprayed on Canada's lawns, playgrounds, parks and golf courses for cosmetic reasons. People have been conditioned to believe that a lawn marred by dandelions is unacceptable.
Municipalities spend money they can ill afford to waste on herbicides.
Insecticides are also sprayed by municipalities in urban areas. Winnipeg is the most heavily sprayed city in Canada, due to the yearly effort to control mosquitoes. Wood preservatives are also classed as pesticides and can be extremely toxic. Many products are now on the market as non-chemical alternatives. For home lawn use, there are many safe alternatives as well as lawn care companies designed to meet the non-chemical market.