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Resident urges Sammamish commission to support simple homeowner steps to remove invasive ivy and blackberry
Summary
A longtime resident asked the commission to support public education on removing English ivy and Himalayan blackberry to protect trees and native plants, and shared step‑by‑step removal suggestions.
Mary Victor, a Sammamish resident of 24 years, used public comment time to urge the commission to support outreach that helps homeowners address invasive plants such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry.
Victor told commissioners she began advocating for stormwater issues in her neighborhood in 2015 and later joined native plant stewardship training. She described English ivy climbing trunks and noted that when ivy reaches sunlight it blooms and spreads further. Victor said a simple treatment — cutting the ivy at the trunk, pulling it back and trimming upward shoots — will cause the upper growth to brown and die. She described trimming Himalayan blackberry canes to 12–18 inches and placing cuttings in yard waste to prevent re‑sprouting.
Victor said she has homeowner permission to work on a nearby property and sent photos to staff to illustrate the problem. She suggested the winter is an effective season for removal because plants die back before spring growth. Victor recommended basic community training sessions and suggested coordinating with the city’s former wetlands biologist and native plant stewards to provide instruction to homeowners and HOAs.
Commissioners thanked Victor for the suggestions and said staff would consider how educational materials or targeted outreach could be incorporated into the commission’s broader outreach plan.
