Skamania County noxious-weed program reports 2024 staffing, funding and ongoing knotweed control

Emily Stevenson, Skamania County noxious weed program coordinator, briefed the Skamania County Board of Commissioners on the program—s 2024 work and priorities at the board—s Jan. 22, 2025 meeting. Stevenson described the statutory framework (RCW 17.10) that authorizes county weed boards to set lists and control requirements, the program—s staffing model and its primary partners.

Stevenson said the county weed board adopted the 2025 weed list after a public hearing on Jan. 7 and noted the board consists of five volunteer zone representatives plus an ex officio county extension director; several zone terms expire in March and an application hearing for those vacancies is scheduled for Feb. 4. She said the program currently employs one full-time and two part-time permanent staff and hires seasonal crews during the field season.

The program—s 2024 work: Stevenson reported the county controlled roughly 1,900 acres last year and used seasonal crews to fulfill grant agreements. She said the county—s general-fund contribution leveraged more than $300,000 in grants and agreements and that about 84% of the program—s 2024 expenditures were covered by grant or agreement funding, much of it federal because a large share of Skamania County land is federal.

Stevenson described partnerships and recurring contracts with the U.S. Forest Service (including the Gifford Pinchot and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area) and a long-term partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. She said the program treats both pre- and post-disturbance sites (for example, quarries and timber-sale areas) and conducts outreach, home surveys, parking- and road-row treatments, and early detection/rapid response (EDRR) work to stop new infestations.

Knotweed work and other priorities: The presentation highlighted knotweed (referred to in the meeting as —knotweed—), an invasive riparian plant that staff have worked on since 2002. Stevenson said the knotweed project initially surveyed much of southern Skamania County—s riparian zones; in 2024 the program treated 111 sites for 55 landowners (about 66 net acres) and monitored roughly 50 sites described as —clean,— with 46 sites the program has classified as eradicated to date. Stevenson emphasized that knotweed requires persistent follow-up because small regrowths can reappear several years after treatment.

Other species and tools: Stevenson explained the state separates species into classes and that Class A (EDRR) species with limited distribution receive the highest priority. She discussed tansy as a continuing local issue (a biennial that can be toxic to livestock) and noted biocontrols exist (for example, cinnabar moth releases historically) but that biocontrol availability and suitability vary by county and species. She also described the program—s limited work for the cities of Stevenson and North Bonneville through small contracts.

Funding and operational concerns: Stevenson said the program has spent roughly $600,000 over about 20 years on knotweed control in the county and that state legislative funding specifically for knotweed control has been an important resource. She warned that reductions in partner agency workforce and timber-sale funding can reduce available contract dollars for the program, forcing staff to prioritize species and sites. She described the program—s practice of trying to exhaust seed banks for species with multi-year seed viability and the risk that skipping a year of treatment can set back progress.

Stevenson invited commissioners to request additional reports and said the program offers free home surveys and outreach materials to landowners. Contact information was not stated on the record; the clerk of the board can provide submitted written public comment and staff contact details on request.