Efforts underway to knockout knotweed and invasive plants throughout Lewis County

CHEHALIS – Along Lewis County rivers and streams, and in local fields, you’ll sometimes find a jungle of tall, bright-leaved, bamboo-like plants called knotweed. This species is extremely aggressive, harming the local ecosystem and disrupting salmon spawning habitat.

Enter Lewis County Noxious Weed Control – a staff of three – whose mission is to reign in the spread of noxious weeds throughout the county. This is the time of year they focus on knotweed. These plants crowd out other riparian plant species that fish and wildlife depend on, and cost landowners in Washington State millions of dollars every year to manage or eradicate.

On a mission to knock-down a growth of knotweed in Centralia, weed control agents confess that it takes a perennial effort to eradicate a patch of knotweed, and most will require several consecutive years of treatment.

“This plant is a major concern in the area, and is extremely invasive in waterways,” Noxious Weed Control Program Coordinator Charles Edmonson said. “Purple loosestrife is another one that we’re focusing on at this time of year, and one that we especially want local landowners to report.”

Report what you may suspect is a noxious weed by clicking here.

To assist residents in need of support, the Lewis County Noxious Weed Control Board provides the Stewardship Incentive Program, which is a voluntary “mini” grant program for Lewis County landowners with the goal of providing funds to control particularly problematic noxious weeds on private property.

Obtain a Stewardship Incentive Program application by emailing: weeds@lewiscountywa.gov.

The Lewis County Noxious Weed Control Board is looking to fill two board positions that become vacant at the end of the year. The volunteer positions are for four-year terms and are generally filled by an individual engaged in agricultural practices.

Applications are available by clicking the link: https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/weed-control/about-weed-control/lewis-county-noxious-weed-control-board/ or at the Lewis County Noxious Weed Control Board office, 19 SW Cascade Ave. in Chehalis, and will be accepted through Monday, Oct. 30.