Become a Weed Watcher
Renee Bodine, Public Affairs Officer, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Service
Everett, Wash. May 31, 2013– Uncontrolled, weeds like oxeye daisy can monopolize alpine meadows, English ivy will cover forest canopies and Japanese knotweed will choke creek-side vegetation. The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Washington Department of Natural Resources have teamed up with the Mountaineers and King County Noxious Weed Program to train volunteers to find invasive plants on trails. Hikers are needed to monitor trails for infestations in theMt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s designated wilderness areas and in the Middle Fork and South Fork Snoqualmie valleys of King County. Classes will train Weed Watchers how to identify invasive species, record and collect data with GPS units and control some weeds. The volunteers will choose which trails they want to “adopt” in a particular area this summer.
June 9, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. -Wilderness Weed Watchers Training
Darrington Ranger Station, 1405 Emens Avenue North, Darrington, WA
June 15, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. -Wilderness Weed Watchers Training
Glacier Public Service Station, 10091 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier, WA
June 23, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Upper Snoqualmie & Wilderness Weed Watchers Training
Snoqualmie Ranger Station, Back Conference Hall, 902 SE North Bend Way, North Bend, Wash. 98045
To join the Upper Snoqualmie Weed Watchers contact Sasha Shaw at 206-263-6468. Volunteers can register to train for the Wilderness Lakes Wilderness Weed Watchers on the Mountaineers website and contact Sarah Krueger for more information at 206-521-6012.
The National Forest Foundation provided a grant to inventory weeds in the Mt. Baker, Noisy-Diosbud, Boulder River, Henry M. Jackson, Clearwater and Norse Peak Wilderness Areas. Learn more about noxious weeds, workshops and events from the King County website.