Although predators pose an undeniable risk for wilderness travel, there are far more dangerous hazards lurking in the wilds of North America. Poisonous plants, biting insects and parasitic bacteria will turn a pleasurable outdoor experience into something rather nasty. According to the World Health Organization, 200,000 people world-wide die each year from parasitic infections, and over 600,000 succumb to Malaria, a disease spread by mosquitos. By contract, less than a dozen wild animal attacks prove fatal in an average year. Here are a few of the more common environmental nasties you need to identify, and avoid, while exploring the great outdoors of Canada and the United States!

Poisonous Plants

An encounter with a poisonous plant may not prove fatal but can certainly throw a wrench into an otherwise enjoyable day in the woods. There are a small variety of plants which cause poisonous reactions to those who come into contact with them. Here are some of North America’s more common and easily avoidable poisonous plants!

Stinging Nettles

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Nettles, or ‘stinging nettles’ as they are often referred, are a leafy green plant which can cause large skin welts and irritation and create a rash on those who come into contact with them. Nettles are not considered highly toxic and the effects of brushing against this prickly bush usually disappear within a few hours.

Poison Ivy 

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Poison Ivy is found in much of North America and can be identified by the characteristic ‘leaves of three’.  These plants grow along the forest floor typically on the edge of trails, or in transition areas between the coniferous forest and meadows. They can appear as a climbing vine, identified in the leaves of three and the more common form which grows on the ground, with a woody stalk branching into sets of leaves approximately one to three feet high. Avoid touching these plants and wash all clothing that comes in contract with it.

Poison Ivy for some people can cause serious skin blistering, rashes and long-term irritation. For those who are affected by the ivy oil that is contained in the plant, water blisters can form and illness may result especially when parts of the face are exposed to the plant. Avoiding poison ivy plants when travelling the great outdoors is always something to be aware of, as even those people do not suffer great reactions can be affected from the itch of a blister breakout days following exposure.

Poison Oak

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Similar to its cousin poison ivy, poison oak will cause skin irritation and rash should you come in contact with it. These plants all share a common oil called Urushiol, which will cause an allergic reaction in most people. Though the reaction is incurable, the resulting rash may be treated in a variety of ways, with cremes, salves and antihistamines. Poison oak leaves are larger and more rounded than poison ivy similar to their namesake, the oak tree. They have a hairy surface and may be found in groups of three, five, or sometimes even seven leaves.

Giant Hogweed

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These large poisonous plants, although rare, pack a significant punch causing serious skin irritation and even blindness. For those who have come into contact with Giant Hogweed, it is important to rinse your skin with soap and water immediately as it is a poisonous plant that needs the sun to activate the oil which will burn the skin like acid. Found along roadways, on the edge of meadows, they are easy to identify in their full summer foliage. Giant Hogweed plants stand six, eight or even ten feet high, and have a stalk as large around as your leg. Because of their sheer size, they are easy to avoid if you are able to identify this nasty plant.  The toxic oils contained in Giant Hogweed are far more dangerous than any risk posed by poison ivy or poison oak. Avoid contact at all costs!

Poison Parsnip

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The Poison Parsnip plant has become of great concern in recent years for the way it is spreading like wildfire. Found mostly in suburban areas but also in the deep back woods as well, I can tell you first-hand the danger posed by poison parsnip.  This plant, upon first glance appears like a smaller version of the Giant Hogweed.  With greenish yellow stalk and leaves, they are often mistaken for harmless Queen Anne’s lace, but are more robust and stand slightly higher than Queen Anne’s.

Poison Parsnip, as with Giant Hogweed, contains poisonous oil that causes serious skin burns and irritations which will turn to boils in the 2nd and 3rd degree burn category. I have contracted Poison Parsnip myself being an avid wild garlic/wild leek forager, during the months of May when Poison Parsnip are just taking off in the growing season. I still have scars on my leg from burns inflicted from Poison Parsnip, as I got too close to the plant without realizing it.

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As with Giant Hogweed, the oil is activated by the sun’s heat and breaks down skin tissue as the sun’s exposure increases. You can imagine the difficulty of a wilderness experience suffering from a bout of Poison Parsnip. If you should come in contact with poison parsnip while in the wild, wash the affected area immediately with soap and water and stay out of direct sunlight for 24 hours.

Biting Insects

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Biting insects are another hazard of the great outdoors which can add great difficulty to any survival experience. Anyone allergic to wasps or bee stings must always carry an Epi Pen with them or epinephrine to avoid anaphylaxis.

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Black Flies and mosquitoes, biting midges, deerflies and horseflies, are all parasitic feeders which can, apart from spreading airborne illnesses, throw a wrench in your comfort level while trying to survive the outdoors.  Anyone who has ever slept in the deep back woods overnight, dealing with mosquitoes and black flies will know how difficult it is to sleep when you are being eaten alive.  Besides the fact, mosquitoes may carry West Nile virus in North America and Malaria in other countries.

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The real trouble with biting insects is their affect on your comfort level. Constant bug bites will raise your anxiety levels, taking your focus off important navigating tasks and deprive you of much needed sleep. Having a Deet-based insect repellent with you is of utmost importance. Also, if you have room for products such as ThermoCell, which help keep insects at bay, it is suggested. I use them regularly during springtime with great success!

Parasites 

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Parasitic bugs and contaminated water are the silent killers of wilderness travel.  Not all parasites are deadly but they can cause grief and pose dangerous health hazards. Ticks and mites are found across the country with ticks specifically, the black legged and deer tick, being the most dangerous. With the increase occurrence of Lyme disease cases in North America, in recent years, preventing tick bites is extremely important.

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I have seen my share of ticks over the years, with infestations so severe that I discarded my clothing completely and left them in the woods. Clothing such as polar fleece, wool and the cottons are perfect tick traps. I suggest using leg gaiters with your outdoor footwear to prevent ticks from clinging to your body, or wear a pair of high rubber boots with nylon based pants. It is extremely important to keep these nasty creatures off your body, but in the event that you do get one stuck on you, a good set of tick tweezers or a tick pick is something to consider when travelling in dense tick areas.

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If bitten by an infected deer tick, the characteristic “bull’s-eye rash” is the first sign that you are infected with Lyme disease, and will need antibiotics as soon as possible. The danger with Lyme disease is in cases when outdoor travellers are  infected and never diagnosed. If caught early, Lyme disease can be relatively easy to get rid of. Once it has settled into your organs, brain and spine, it can cause long term debilitating symptoms which take years to recover, and even fatal in more severe cases.

Tick Prevention

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When travelling the woods in tick country with a partner, you should examine each other for signs of parasites each night. Although they are small, ticks can be felt on the skin and will cause an itch as they move, looking for a place to dig in. It is imperative that if a tick has already latched on, it is removed carefully in a corkscrew manner, where the head is squeezed by a pair of tweezers, or a “tick pick,” and it is twisted without separating the abdomen from the thorax. If the tick is broken during extraction, it can regurgitate the poison into your skin.

Parting Words

Enjoy your time afield but when it comes to poisonous plants, biting insects and parasites, remember the old adage – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! For more information on tick prevention and removal, please read this article.