Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) is a relatively new invasive weed in Clackamas County. With your help, our team plans to keep it from becoming a common problem for landowners! A member of the sunflower family, orange hawkweed is native to central and southern Europe and grows in open areas like gravel pits, roadsides, meadows, pastures, […]
A Fond Farewell: Sarah Hamilton
It isn’t often that we lose a WeedWise team member, but this week we bid a fond farewell to WeedWise Specialist and CWMA Coordinator, Sarah Hamilton. Sarah joined the WeedWise program in 2014 and has split her time working on invasive species management in the Sandy River watershed, and in coordinating both the 4-County and […]
It’s Native Plant Appreciation Week!
Let’s Celebrate! The WeedWise program is in the business of preventing and controlling invasive weeds. As anyone that spends much time battling invasive weeds can attest, our work can feel a little daunting at times. We all have those days, when we are battling a rather bothersome patch of invasive weeds, and lose sight of […]
April’s Weed of the Month: Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an increasingly invasive weed in our community. Native to central and western Europe, this fast-growing plant commonly invades sites such as parks, trails, roadsides, and streamsides. April is a great time to manage this priority invasive weed on your property. Sometimes referred to as Jack-by-the-hedge, garlic mustard is easily identified […]
March’s Weed of the Month: Canada thistle
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a widespread invasive weed found in all parts of Clackamas County. Unlike the many native thistles found in Oregon, Canada thistle can quickly overrun an area and displace native plants, reduce agricultural yield, and create problems for grazing animals when they infest a field or pasture. They also cost a […]
Its National Invasive Species Awareness Week!
National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February 26 -March 2, 2018) kicks off today! Once a year, folks around the country take a full week to consider the many impacts that non-native invasive species have on our communities, working lands, natural areas, and pocket books. So take a moment to celebrate with the WeedWise Program to […]
February’s Weed of the Month: Scotch Broom
February is the one month of the year that many of us associate with love and romance. We cut out paper hearts for Valentine’s Day cards and wrap-up cut flowers for that special person in our lives. But there is another reason to celebrate. February 14th is also Oregon’s birthday! Way back in 1859, Oregon […]
Local partners join forces to tackle costly invasive weeds along the Clackamas River
Invasive weeds currently cost Oregonians millions of dollars each year. One recent estimate indicates that without intervention these will increase to $1.8 billion in personal income losses a year from degraded lands and reduced productivity. What is being done? A local effort is underway to help mitigate the impacts of these invasive weeds along the […]
The Undesirable Beauty of Lesser Celandine
Each spring we welcome the return of abundant flowers and cherish them as they lift our spirits. Unfortunately, some of these beautiful plants have proven to be aggressive and ultimately highly unwanted. Look out for this one! One such menace is Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) which displaces more desirable plants in lawns, gardens, parks, and […]
Common Reed: How a Rooster Gave us Something to Crow About
It isn’t everyday that a weed manager feels the need to trade in their work boots for a day spent surrounded by home decor and scented candles. Remarkably, such was the case this week for WeedWise program manager Sam Leininger. Early in the week Sam was alerted to the possibility that a national retailer, Pier […]