Managing tick-related risks in outdoor environments

The geographic range of ticks is rapidly expanding due to climate change, animal migration, and land use changes. The objective of this project was to improve understanding of the public health impacts of ticks in Canada as a result of these changes, and outline how landscape design and management strategies can be used to reduce the risk of tick encounters in parks, residential properties and other outdoor spaces. Report 1, of the four-part series, focused on the public health risks of ticks in Canada. Report 2 established the impacts of climate and land use change on tick-related risks. Report 3 reviewed the environmental management strategies to reduce tick populations. Finally, report 4 compiled these learnings into easy to use fact-sheets for use by parks professionals and users, landscape designers, and residential property owners. This presentation will summarize the key findings of this series and highlight how they can be translated into practice to reduce the risk of ticks in outdoor spaces across Canada. Dr.

Dr. Negar Elmieh is an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and an advocate for health and environmental issues. Her interests lie at the intersection of environmental health and risk communication with a focus on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.