New Duties

Day 215 (Part B): After attending a training session and filling out the paperwork, I am proud to say that I am now a registered volunteer with the Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council. It is our purpose to monitor public lands for the spread of invasive species, to document them photographically or take specimens for documentation purposes, to eliminate them when possible and safe to do so, to contact land managers when infestations require serious intervention or when hazards such as contact poisons may occur.

There are currently thirty species of particular concern in Washington. Not all occur in any given area. Some are aquatic, but most are terrestrial species such as Giant Hogweed, Knotweeds, Yellow Archangel and Tansy Ragwort.

There are three classifications for invasive plants. Washington State law dictates that Class A noxious plants must be controlled by land owners and managers. Control mandates for Class B weeds vary from county to county depending on the degree of infestation. Class C invasives are species are those for which control is recommended but not mandatory. This is not to say that all invasive plants are on the State's list. Far from it! Some such as Scotch Broom and Herb Robert are considered to be beyond possibility of control.

Check your state or county Weed Control Board for the steps you can take to eradicate invasive weeds, or join a group like the Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council. Let's stop the spread!