University of Ottawa study shows wooden mulch reduces garden ticks up to 99%

Researchers from the University of Ottawa tested two forms of ash‑wood chips along walking paths near Ottawa. One batch was untreated, while the other was impregnated with the insecticide deltamethrin. Over a two‑year trial, deltamethrin‑treated chips lowered the number of adult and nymph ticks by up to 99 percent. Untreated chips also proved effective, cutting tick counts by an average of 48 percent.

The wood chips create a dry physical barrier that limits tick movement from dense vegetation onto frequently used trails and garden areas. The method offers a simple, biodegradable alternative to intensive chemical spraying for parks, recreational spaces and private gardens, addressing growing public‑health concerns about tick‑borne diseases amid expanding tick habitats.