Invasive Plants in PNW Ecosystems
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Invasive Plants in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Watershed, King County, Washington State.Kelley Calhoun1, Tor McIlroy1, Mark Boyar2, Tracy L. Fuentes3, Kelly Heintz4, Steven Burke5, Monica Walker5, Hayes Swinney6, David Kimmet7, Thomas O’Keefe8 1Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust; 2Middle Fork Outdoor Recreation Coalition (MidFORC), 3USDA Forest Service, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; 4Washington State Department of Natural Resources; 5King County Noxious Weed Control Program; 6Cascade Land Conservancy; 7King County Parks; 8American Whitewater Because 98% of the 110,000 acre Middle Fork Snoqualmie River watershed is publicly owned and relatively free of invasive plants, identifying and controlling infestations is potentially feasible and effective. In 2005, we surveyed more than 20 miles of roads, as well as disturbed areas along the main road, including river access points, quarries, cut banks, camping sites, pullouts, and other high use areas. We found that 89 acres of the survey area are infested with noxious weeds and other non-native plants. These include state listed class B (Geranium robertianum, Cytisus scoparius, Daucus carota, Leucanthemum vulgare, Polygonum bohemicum, and Senecio jacobaea) and C (Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Hypericum perforatum, Phalaris arundinacea, and Tanacetum vulgare) noxious weeds. We also found several species listed by King County as weeds of concern (Rubus discolor, Rubus laciniatus, and Solanum dulcamara), as well as several garden ornamentals and/or yard waste escapees (Rheum rhabarbarum, Sorbus aucuparia, Symphytum peregrinum, and Vinca minor). Based on survey results, species biology, and land manger concerns, we are prioritizing current and future control and survey efforts. We hope that our proactive, cooperative effort between public land managers, interested organizations, and volunteers will serve as a model for invasive plant management and control in other watersheds in the region.
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