...Watch Your Step!
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| Elodea |
May 14, 20013
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| Orange Hawkweed |
What are we?
We come in all sizes colors and shapes,
If you're not careful we'll rob you blind.
Some of us might even make you sick,
Without a flower, we can be hard to find.
We may look a little bit like others you know,
we might even make you sick.
We can be so pretty and hard to resist
that's just one of our clever tricks.
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| White Sweet clover |
Some you've gotten used to
and some you haven't seen just yet
Watch out for the evil Elodea
they'll snatch the salmon from out of your net!
We can travel by boat, horse or train,
our main purpose? to grow and grow.
watch where you step we may just latch on
and go with you wherever you go!
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| Bird Vetch |
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| Bird Vetch |
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| Reed Canary Grass |
Pictured above are Invasive Species on the Kuskokwim Area Watch List!
Bird Vetch, White Sweetclover, Orange Hawkweed, Reed Canary grass and Elodea are plants to look out for in the Kuskokwim area that haven't been spotted just yet in our region, but are in Alaska already and could be very dangerous.
What to do if you know where some are or see them while you are out and about berry picking this summer? Take a picture and send it to me. Let me know where you were when you saw it....GPS coordinates are a plus, but not necessary.
About two weeks ago, I attended an Invasive Species Workshop in Bethel, AK. Below are some links for more information on specific plants that you may find to be useful.
What about in Georgetown?
In 2010, Dave Cannon, acting as the Invasive Plant Coordinator of the mid Yukon/Kuskokwim Soil & Water Conservation District, conducted an Invasive Species Plant Survey of the middle Kuskokwim River.
In Georgetown, several invasive plants were found that are common to all of Alaska and although annoying, don't carry much risk: common plantain, lambsquarters, pineapple weed (aka chamomile), and as Anne will attest: the common dandelion...
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| Yellow Toadflax |
The invasive plant of concern found in Georgetown: yellow toadflax, also known as butter & eggs (looks like an out of control snap dragon plant).
It's important to eliminate these plants before they get out of control, which is what they do best.
For more information on invasive species in Alaska, and what we can do to control them, please follow the links below.