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Staff: 19.3 acres of invasive shiny geranium found in Clallam County; treatments ongoing
Summary
County staff reported finding 19.3 acres of invasive shiny geranium across nine private properties and three roadsides; treatments (manual removals and herbicide) have removed thousands of plants but funding for outreach and treatment has been strained.
Sam, a county staff member reporting to the meeting, said the program has identified 19.3 acres of shiny geranium in Clallam County across nine private parcels and three roadside locations and is actively treating sites.
"So now we have 19.3 acres that we're aware of," Sam said, describing both manual removals and herbicide applications. She named the herbicides used as Element 3A and Milestone and said the products "work fantastic," but noted label limits mean some infestations require repeat visits rather than a single complete treatment.
Why it matters: staff warned contractors working on nearby Highway 101 may have contributed to spread after parking near a recently replaced Tumwater culvert. The board highlighted the species’ ability to flower and set seed quickly and urged expanded detection and treatment to prevent further spread.
Staff gave specific activity figures: mailers and notifications went to about 525 landowners; inspectors completed 297 inspections on 242 parcels; staff conducted 21 site tours; and field crews hand‑removed a reported 5,863 plants this season, about 4,000 of which Sam estimated were shiny geranium. She said five private parcels have received herbicide treatments so far and that seasonal manual work accounted for many removals.
The program has used outreach events and demonstrations — including mix‑and‑spray demos at private properties and an appearance at the Soroptimist garden gala — to improve identification and control. Sam said the team also distributed updated printed flyers with clearer photos and information about new weed species in the county.
Funding and next steps: staff said a grant helped accelerate private‑land treatments this year but those funds were rapidly depleted because of how much infestation was found and the labor required. Sam estimated current season treatments will finish around mid‑May but said continued monitoring, spot treatments and public education will be needed. Board members agreed to follow up on suspected new sites and to coordinate jurisdictional checks when residents reported roadside infestations.
The meeting record shows the board plans to pair these field efforts with a new county weed‑mapping application and expanded volunteer monitoring to better track treatment history and preserve field photos and notes for future planning.
