Have you noticed the abundance of beautiful yellow wildflowers along the highways this summer? Earlier in the summer there was Scotch broom. Now what you are primarily seeing is tansy ragwort. Both species are listed as noxious weeds in Washington and in Island County.
But what is a noxious weed? Using the well-known internet source, Wikipedia, the definition is a “harmful or injurious weed that has been designated by an agricultural or other governing authority as a plant that is harmful to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or livestock”. If you are not familiar with the legal requirements regarding noxious weeds in Island County, you should consult the counties website: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/344/Island-County-Noxious-Weed-Control-Progr
Noxious weeds are divided into 3 categories. Class A weeds require you to eradicate all plants if they are on your property. Class B noxious weeds require that you control the population. For class C noxious weeds, control is highly recommended.
This Creation’s Corner will focus on one species, Tansey Ragwort. It is listed as a Class B weed requiring control. So why does it seem to be so out of control? You see it everywhere you drive, and it may well be on your property! Indeed, more than 350 pounds of Tansey Ragwort as well as Poison Hemlock have been removed from Trinity Lutheran’s property this year by some of you reading this Corner.
Why remove Tansey? It is so pretty. Yes, but it also kills livestock if they eat it! Just ask Deacon Amy about her goats! The plant is highly toxic to several species including cattle and horses. Significant control effort is underway using biological control. Three species of insects, the cinnabar moth, the ragwort flea beetle, and the ragwort seed fly have been introduced from Europe and western Asia, Tansey’s home turf. It is obvious, however, that significant control is not taking place this year. You may have seen the very colorful cinnabar moth released in Washington State in 1960. Both the adult moth and its larvae are brightly colored. They obtain high levels of toxic chemicals from the plants they are eating and as a result, they are also toxic to their own predators – birds.
If you see plants with caterpillars munching away, don’t pull the plant, instead give the insects a chance to complete their development to enhance next year’s population control.
The biggest problems faced with the control of noxious weeds are state and county budgets and education. Island County has one full-time individual employed as the “Noxious Weed Program Coordinator” plus one seasonal employee to identify the noxious plants and to plan and to activate their control. If class A or class B noxious weed species are on your property, you may receive a letter informing you to remove or control them. But what about highway right of ways? There seems to be little to no effort to control the problem species on county or state land. It is largely a matter of budgets and available staffing. The individual property owner is faced with a dilemma. You may wonder why, if the state and county government fail to control the noxious weeds on property under their control, why should I when it takes my time and money? How many residents of Island County even know about noxious weeds and can identify the problem species? If you are one of these individuals, I urge you to consult the web site at the start of this “Corner”. Whidbey is my home and yours. We need to do our part.
Our Prayer: Lord, we pray for wisdom to do what is right and for our governments to act responsibly in those areas under their care. Amen.
Thanks for caring!
— Joe Sheldon
Direct comments to Joe Sheldon at jksheldon43@gmail.com
