Toronto, Ontario, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With more time spent outdoors during the summer months, concern regarding ticks and Lyme disease is becoming more prevalent. Public health agencies recommend a range of strategies to help reduce tick exposure, from using insect repellent to performing tick checks after spending time outdoors. What many homeowners may not realize is that outdoor living projects can play a role in reducing tick-friendly habitat around the home.

"When the weather is warm, families naturally want to spend more time outdoors, whether that's entertaining guests on the patio, relaxing by the firepit or letting kids and pets play in the backyard," says Laura Panetta, Director of Communications at Unilock. “While outdoor living projects are often chosen to create beautiful, functional spaces for family and friends to enjoy, thoughtful hardscape design can also help keep ticks at bay.”

Ticks thrive in wooded areas, tall grasses, leaf litter and unmanaged vegetation, and Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection spread through tick bites, can cause serious health issues if not treated promptly. Well-designed outdoor spaces that incorporate hardscaping features such as patios, walkways, retaining walls and gravel borders can help reduce dense vegetation where ticks are most commonly found.

Experts recommend several landscaping practices that can help reduce exposure to ticks:

• Creating clear transitions between lawns, gardens and wooded areas using stone or gravel borders
• Installing patios and outdoor living spaces that reduce unmanaged vegetation near high-use areas
• Using paved pathways to encourage movement through designated spaces rather than through tall grass or brush
• Removing leaf litter and maintaining landscape beds around the home

"It’s never too late in the season to take a fresh look at your outdoor space and make improvements that help you feel more comfortable enjoying time outside with family, friends and pets," adds Laura. "With so many beautiful concrete pavers and natural stone slabs to choose from today, homeowners don’t have to compromise on style when they expand hardscape areas.  It’s possible to create outdoor spaces that are welcoming, functional and help keep everyone safer from ticks.”

For landscape inspiration and hardscaping project ideas, visit Unilock.com

For more information on tick management, visit the CDC’s “Tick Management Handbook”, and  “Preventing Tick Bites” resource.

About Unilock

Unilock is North America’s premier manufacturer of concrete interlocking paving stones, slabs and retaining walls, with operations in the US and Canada. For over fifty years, Unilock has been transforming ordinary outdoor spaces into beautiful places that bring friends, families, and communities together. Unilock pavers and walls provide an endless canvas of options to transform outdoor living dreams into reality. For inspiration and project ideas, follow Unilock on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Attachments

• Beautiful outdoor spaces can also help keep ticks at bay
• Landscape improvements can reduce tick habitat

Laura Panetta
Unilock
647-226-5714
Laura.panetta@unilock.com