   Who we are:
The Noxious Weed Department is responsible by state law for controlling noxious weeds in Skamania County. The department is made up of six board members, three county employees and approximately four seasonal workers, as well as college summer employees. Our mission is to serve as responsible stewards to limit economic loss and adverse environmental effects to Skamania County's agricultural, natural, recreations and human resources due to the presence and spread of noxious weeds on all terrestrial and aquatic areas in the county.
We believe that the prevention of noxious weeds is the best approach and may be achieved through full implementation of the State Noxious Weed Laws. To further this approach, we strive for increased public awareness through improved educational efforts.
Goals and Priorities:
1. Annually adopt the Skamania County Noxious Weed list.
2. Improve countywide noxious weed education and public awareness about integrated pest management (IPM) and biological controls.
3. Continuously monitor and document the presence and spread of noxious weeds throughout Skamania County.
4. Nurture cooperative working relationships with county residents, landowners, land managers, tribes, as well as local, state and federal agencies.
5. Seek and secure adequate funding to support continued success of the Skamania County Noxious Weed Control Program. | What are Noxious Weeds?
Noxious Weeds are non-native plants that have been introduced to Washington through human actions. Because of their aggressive growth and lack of natural enemies in the state, these species can be highly destructive, competitive, or difficult to control. These exotic species can reduce crop yields, destroy native plant and animal habitat, damage recreational opportunities, clog waterways, lower land values, create erosion problems and fire hazards, and poison humans and livestock. | Noxious Weed Facts (Source USDA):  | | The impact of weeds and invasive plants on the nation’s agriculture, water quality, wildlife and recreation already costs the U.S. an estimated $34.7 billion annually, according to a recent Cornell University report. | | | 250 million acres of cropland and another 600 million acres of public lands require weed management. On any given acre of cropland, the failure to control weeds can result in 50 to 90% yield loss | | | Weeds are survivors and will continue to be a threat to food and fiber production. Each common lambsquarters plant produces 72,000 seeds per acre and survives in the soil for up to 40 years. Pigweed plants produce 120,000 seeds per plant and can survive up to 30 years in the soil. | | | On any given acre of cropland, approximately 2.5 million weeds will emerge, which is still only 5-10% of the weeds in the soil weed seed bank. | | | Crop production in the United State would decline by 20 percent, even with the substitution of tillage and hand weeding labor, if herbicides were not available. By controlling weeds effectively, herbicides do the work of 70 million laborers. | | | In the continental U.S., invasive weeds already infest more than 100 million acres and this acreage is doubling approximately every five year | | | In the western states, where wildfires are most prevalent, the encroachment of resilient, invasive plants has paved the way for a succession of rampant...wildfires. | | | Invasive plants reduce recreational opportunities and tax revenue from activities associated with hunting, fishing and boating. They also reduce trade opportunities and increase sanitary and phytosanitary measures. | | | Cost-benefit analysis shows a conservative estimate of a 1:10 return on investment for aquatic plant control programs | | | The cost of managing invasive aquatic plants in the United States is estimated to be $100-275 million annually. The impact of aquatic weeds not controlled is immense with an estimated $3-5 billion in economic losses every year. |
| If you or your neighbor have a problem with noxious weeds, you wish to become involved or have questions regarding our projects, please feel free to contact us at 509-427-3940 The Skamania County Noxious Weed Control Board staff is available year-round for walk through/inspections on private land for noxious weeds. Whether you are just interested in knowing what is growing on your land or would like to know what specific noxious weeds you are required to control, we are more than happy to come out and meet with you. Prospective land buyers are also encouraged to give our office a call to ensure that they are aware of what noxious weeds are present on the piece of land they are looking to purchase. Educational tours can also be arranged. Each year starting in April, the Skamania County Road Department performs weed spraying within county-owned rights-of-ways to control unwanted vegetation and noxious weeds. Although the Skamania County Noxious Weed Control Board works closely and cooperatively with the County Road Department, this service is not provided through our office. Questions or concerns regarding this program should be directed towards the Skamania County Vegetation Control Division, at (509) 427-9448 or through email at mailto:publicworks@co.skamania.wa.us Weed Board meetings are held each month and are open to public. Please contact us for a schedule. -Skamania County Weed Department | | Some items on this page require Acrobat Reader. Use the Get Acrobat Reader icon to get a free copy. |
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