Ready To Roll On Weeds

Day 237: Once again this year, the Invasive Plant Council honoured me with an award for being one of their top three volunteers. I was asked to pick my prize from one of three items, and opted for a Patagonia "Black Hole" day-pack worth (gasp!) $129. It has convenient sleeves in the interior to hold various small items, one of which will be used to contain the brochures I hand out to land managers when appropriate. I've already put in several patrols this year. While I can't exactly claim to enjoy finding invasive species, having my time and effort recognized in this fashion softens the aggravation and annoyance of discovering large patches of Yellow Archangel, acres of Knapweed and patches of Poison Hemlock or concentrations of any of the other "baddies" on the state's blacklist. I treat them when possible: pulling, digging out or clipping seed heads as recommended for each individual species, or if the situation is obviously beyond the scope of one person's ability to handle, filing a report with EDDMapS for referral up the chain. Say 'bye-bye,' you weeds! Crow is coming to get you.

Weed 'Em And Reap!

Day 195: "Weed 'em and reap!" For the third year running, I have been chosen as a recipient of the Sarah Reichard "Extra Mile" Award for my service with the Invasive Plant Council. On my way home from an invasives patrol yesterday (more on that in a subsequent post), I stopped to pick up my mail which included a $50 gift certificate to REI. Equal awards are given to the top three achievers, i.e., those who have devoted the most hours and have hiked the farthest in the interest of locating, removing and reporting invasive species. I haven't kept track of the number of miles or species I've logged, but since we went to on-line reporting in 2016, I've turned in 498 reports of invasives on western Washington's public lands. That said, I've noticed an astonishing lack of cooperation on the part of the agencies administrating these lands insofar as making an effort to eliminate noxious weeds even when the species are listed as Class A (mandatory control). In some cases, it's a matter of interpretation of jurisdiction: who owns the Knapweed-covered gravel bar in the middle of the river? Who is responsible for sending out a team to pull, spray, dig in an area below high-water mark? Especially in areas where weed seeds can be transported for miles on a waterway, this is an issue which is not being adequately addressed by the state weed control board. That said, even if my patrols do no more than raise the government's awareness of a rapidly expanding problem, it's a push in the right direction. I love what I do, even if it sometimes leaves me wanting to tear my hair out and scream.

Bud Blancher Knapweed

Day 292: If you're out walking and happen to see pretty little purple flowers which don't exactly fit the description of "thistle" because they're not thorny, or that remind you of Ragged Robin (if you have those in your area) or Bachelor's Buttons, step up and take a closer look. Chances are, it will be one of several species or hybrids in the Knapweed family, and a rapidly spreading invasive in many parts of North America. Even as a private citizen (as opposed to someone affiliated with an organization like the Invasive Plant Council), you can report your sighting on-line through EDDMapS at https://www.eddmaps.org/ and for those of you who have smarter phones than mine, there are apps to make the process easier. EDDMapS stands for "Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System." It is part of the University of Georgia's Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Per their web page, "Early detection of new invasive species infestations and rapid, coordinated responses are needed to eradicate or contain invasions before they become too widespread and control becomes technically and financially impossible."

Knapweed is a growing concern here in the Pacific Northwest (unintended but appropriate pun, there). It can establish a monoculture in a very short period of time, and is sufficiently virulent to even give Scotch Broom a run for the money. Although many city, county and state agencies try to stay on top of it in their parks and on their trails, it goes without treatment on adjacent private properties. If you find it in a location where you can legally remove it, bag the heads before cutting, being careful not to shake loose any developing seed. Dislodged seed may continue to develop if it drops to the ground. Dispose of the bagged seed heads by placing them in your household garbage. Do not attempt to compost them; the temperature in a compost heap is not sufficient to destroy them. In worst-case scenarios, chemical treatment is recommended. Check with your local weed board to find out which chemicals can be used in your area.

IPC Bud Blancher Hike

Day 289: The Invasive Plant Council took a hike on Eatonville's Bud Blancher Trail today, which is to say that Program Coordinator Lisa Zander and I had a grand time hacking chicory, pulling tansy, documenting lactuca and knapweed in addition to subsidiary duties like visiting lower Mashel Falls, playing with frogs and taking a relaxing dunk in the Mashel River. We made a 9-mile loop out of it per Lisa's phone app, climbing on up past the falls to Pack Forest's road system, returning along the north boundary and passing through Smallwood Park. As for anyone else who signed on for the hike and failed to show up, you don't know what you missed!