![]() ![]() ![]() “The weed wrench fairies will drop it off.” Sasha Shaw, communications lead with the King County Noxious Weed Control Program, says the county recently performed a contactless delivery of one of these wrenches.Įmployees with the county’s Noxious Weed Control Program are considered essential workers, so if people need to borrow a wrench to deal with weeds on their property, “we’ll figure out a way,” Shaw says. But what the county can do is lend expertise and weed wrenches - big, bright orange levers that clamp tough-to-pull plants by the stem and make them easy to rip from the ground. Like most Western Washington counties, King County does not require property owners to trim or control Scotch broom, and doesn’t charge fines when it appears. Bush says reports of it in parks or natural areas on the west side of the state can be especially helpful, because that information can be passed along to park manager, who might be able to eradicate it. But in Eastern Washington, Scotch broom is still relatively uncommon, with no recorded infestations in nine counties. The Washington State Department of Transportation is participating in the census, too, making note of where the plant appears by the roadside. On a mid-May drive on Interstate 5 from Seattle to Olympia, it might look like the war is lost: A sea of Scotch broom sways golden for miles along the shoulder. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area, the Washington Invasive Species Council and Washington State University Extension. Vin was eradicated at the ninth annual Columbia Gorge Invasive Species and Exotic Pest Workshop, a bistate event hosted by the U.S. By taking simple steps like cleaning boots or not moving firewood, we can prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species. “But is it 1,001 or is it a million? What we’re asking for is more site-specific information.” “Vin Vasive” is an invasive species educational character created by the U.S. “In King County, for example, there’s reported to be over 1,000 acres of Scotch broom,” Bush says. But until now, the state hasn’t been able to gather enough precise information about the location of Scotch broom to create programs to address it. Bush says property owners and land managers have looked to the state to develop programs for managing invasive species in the past. At the time, workshop participants smiled and posed with a 6-foot cutout of a bug-man holding a sign that read, “I got eradicated at the 2020 Invasive Species and Exotic Pest Workshop!”Īccording to Justin Bush, executive coordinator of the Washington Invasive Species Council, the idea to hold a Scotch broom census began with discussions at the workshop. This was two days before King County announced its first death from COVID-19. The idea for this year’s census was sown what now seems 80 years ago - in late February, at an invasive species workshop in the Columbia River Gorge. But because its seeds can be viable for up to 80 years and can sprout by simply disturbing the soil that contains them, the problems it causes span generations. It hasn’t been planted roadside in decades and is now illegal to sell in Washington. The plant was brought to the United States in the late 1800s for ornamental use in gardens, and for years it was considered a good option for controlling erosion along roads. It also displaces native forests and replaces more nutritious plants animals rely on. It can cause allergy flare-ups, take over pastures and increase wildfire risk because it’s highly flammable. Scotch broom usually grows between 3 and 10 feet high, and is distinguishable each May by its bright yellow flowers. Just by uploading that picture to iNaturalist, I’ve already contributed,” Leach says. “Now that I know about this project, it’s definitely going to leap out at me when I see it. Oregon is on board, too, and anyone living in either state can help by recording sightings during May on iNaturalist or the Washington Invasive Species Council’s website. When Leach, a computer programmer who lives in Queen Anne, logged that sighting of Scotch broom on iNaturalist, he was also participating in a bigger effort: This year, for the first time, the Washington Invasive Species Council is conducting a citizen-led Scotch broom census to get a better sense of the scope of the invasive plant’s spread. “When all you have for travel is walking around your neighborhood, it’s a great way to pay more attention to what's around us right now.” “My camera has turned into this magical ‘what’s that plant’ machine,” Leach says. ![]()
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