Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Invasive Species topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County to execute DNR contract to treat spotted jewelweed found near Upper Sand Creek and Forest Service roads
Summary
Staff described a proposed out‑of‑contract agreement with DNR to treat spotted jewelweed—an invasive, seed‑exploding plant—on lands near Forest Service Road 2850; commissioners approved moving forward to execute the contract and noted coordination with timber harvest operations.
Clallam County staff briefed the board on a proposed contract with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to treat spotted jewelweed discovered along the Upper Sand Creek corridor and near Forest Service Road 2850.
Staff described spotted jewelweed as an annual invasive that grows in wet areas, can form dense monocultures and spreads seed explosively; the plant is visually similar to a native spurless jewelweed until it flowers. County staff said they found the invasive last year too late to treat and now plan herbicide treatment on the DNR unit that sits adjacent to Forest Service lands. The county is coordinating with the U.S. Forest Service and DNR to ensure timber‑harvest crews clean equipment wheels and that harvest timing does not spread seed or plant fragments.
Why it matters: staff said spotted jewelweed can alter streamside ecology and displace native jewelweed populations via interbreeding. Early detection and coordinated, trained crews are important because the plant can be hard to identify before flowering and requires careful survey of understory vegetation.
Commissioners authorized staff to execute the contract; staff said treatment will be completed in roughly a day for the unit and that herbicides will be used where appropriate. Staff also noted regional work already funded on the West Side and coordination with Jefferson County and other partners to prevent further spread along road corridors.
