Check out these resources for more information on the prevention and control of noxious weeds and their impacts.
The Kitsap County Noxious Weed Control Program is part of a statewide effort to prevent economic and environmental damage caused by noxious weeds on both land and water across Washington. The Program is governed by a Board with representation from multiple areas of the County (Deb Rudnick is the current Chair and Bainbridge Island representative; she is also a CWMA member and Chair of the Bainbridge Island Watershed Council). The Program maintains a list of Classified Noxious Weeds which are classified according to the level of their known or expected ecological and economic impacts. The Program offers several resources to County residents, including
- Links to Noxious Weed identification and Control
- A stewardship assistance program, whereby residents can apply for cost share funds to treat highly invasive plants on their property
- A limited free disposal program for listed noxious weeds
Do no harm plant pledge: This handout, created by Weed Warriors and high school student Collin Fehrenbacher (thank you Collin!) provides guidance on what to look for in native plants and avoiding invasive plants, and calls on all of us to do our part to pledge to steward our landscapes for the benefit of people and wildlife!
Focus on native plants to reduce invasives: check out this excellent summary of how native plants can help provide multiple ecological benefits and improve your landscape’s ecosystem functions and resistance to invasive plants. This website focuses on ecological systems west of the cascades, so its information is quite relevant for us on Bainbridge Island!