Don’t plant a pest

Recently, someone reached out to me to do an article about invasive plant species. I have to admit I know very little about this subject, but this was an opportunity to learn and pass along information to readers to help avoid the spread of invasive species by unsuspecting landowners that affects us all. As some of you may know, this column was inspired by my learning curve when I arrived in the foothills knowing nothing about rural living. Many of the lessons I learned were learned the hard way! So, this is aimed at not only longtime locals but those "newbies" who purchased a "little piece of heaven" in the country with the best of intentions but little understanding of the unique environment we inherited and how to protect it – especially our flora and fauna. I never gave any thought to invasive species and their effect on our eco-systems but, thankfully, someone has – California Invasive Plant Council (CAL-IPC), which protects California's environment, ecology and economy from invasive species. Formed in 1992, CAL-IPC addresses one of California's top environmental threats through land management and ecological restoration. Invasive non-native plants were introduced after European contact and as a direct or indirect result of human activity. They spread quickly and cause harm to the environment, the economy and human health. And, according CAL-IPC, they "threaten wildlands and native ecosystems; they can spread into wildland ecosystems, displace native species, hybridize with native species, alter biological communities or alter ecosystem processes." Why should we care about this? Because invasive plants impact everyone. Left unchecked, these plants increase fire risks, damage wildlife habitat, agricultural production and water resources. Not to mention, the maintenance headache for property owners. I've struggled to rid our property of starthistle for years and it's considered one of the most serious rangeland weeds in the state. Other more recognizable invasive species include pampas grass, Scotch broom, blackberries, tree of heaven and Eucalyptus, which spread rapidly and increase fire risks because of the heavy fuel load they contain. Nationally, invasive species are the second-greatest threat to endangered animal species, after habitat destruction. Some invasive species consume enormous quantities of water which is then lost to wildlife, agriculture and drinking supply. In browsing the Cal-IPC website, I was shocked to see the enormous number of widely used invasive species – some of which are commonly sold in nurseries. They include Acacia, butterfly bush, iceplant, pampas grass, cotoneaster, foxglove, gazania, English ivy, morning glory, lantana, privet, Mexican feathergrass, periwinkle, calla lily, Scotch broom and many more. In discussing this with my husband, he offered a counterpoint to my cocky new knowledge by responding, "Look around our yard – a pepper tree, palm trees, camphor trees – all non-native." He continued by citing something he learned about West Coast landscape from a book he's reading about an 1834 sailing voyage that left Boston, sailed around the Horn of South America and up the West Coast of the Americas. Sailors journaled that, as they approached what is now the Southern California coastline, the landscape was naturally "desolate" and "barren" looking from their shipside perspective – far from the way it looks today. But as civilization moved in and development took place over the decades since, the landscape has drastically changed, in part due to intentional and non-intentional spread of invasive species. So, why should we care if our landscape contains invasive plantings? Here's what I've concluded: Looking at the prevalence of devastating wildfires in California, coupled with knowledge of the fuels these quick-spreading plants contain, it becomes clear that, collectively, we all bear some responsibility to protect our environment by making educated choices when selecting plants for our homes. Equally important is knowing the ecological impacts. Invasive plant species change ecosystems when they replace native plants that wildlife depend on. In agriculture, they crowd out crops and rangeland forage, costing farmers multi-millions of dollars in chemical controls and lost crops. What can we do? Preventing the introduction of invasive plants is the most cost-effective way of protecting our cities and wildlands. We can be part of the solution when selecting plants for our landscapes. There are three types of control – cultural, chemical and biological. Contact Placer County Agricultural Commissioner's Office for more information at 530-889-7372 or UC Cooperative Extension, Placer County at 530-889-7385. (BTW, "Control is an annual task – mot a one-year miracle"). Get more information about invasive plants at cal-ipc.org, including an overview of treatment methods. Most of all, create an attitude of land stewardship for the land you own. We CAN make a difference. Irene Smith has enjoyed rural living for more than 30 years and wants to share experiences and lessons learned from this lifestyle for the benefit of others. You can share your comments and experiences with Irene at n8rlvr2009@gmail.com.

Don't plant a pest