FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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COUNTY FORMING WEED MANAGEMENT AREA By Peter Ingram Under the leadership of Gail Raabe, San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner, a working group of government agencies, conservation organizations, landowners and other stakeholders began meeting in December 2000 for the purpose of creating a countywide weed management area (WMA) and seeking State funding for weed control projects. As readers may recall from previous editions of the Explorer, in January 2000 several members of the Friends Executive Committee, CNPS, and Parks staff hosted a meeting to promote formation of a partnership to implement the Edgewood Weed Management Program.
In the months ahead, the San Mateo County Weed Management Area will be formally created and a long-term strategy crafted to address the serious problem of non-native invasive plants throughout the County. Here is the “top ten” list of county weeds identified by the working group:
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In attendance at that discussion were members of the County staff, including
the Agricultural Commissioner, who pointed out that the Edgewood program could
succeed only if cooperation from adjacent and up-wind property owners and
managers could be ensured. The vehicle for such efforts in other areas of
California is a Weed Management Area – usually an entire County. The outcome
of the meeting was a commitment from Gail to pursue formation of a WMA, and a
commitment from Mary Burns, the county Parks & Recreation Director, to
support the proposed 3-way partnership. Thus began the Friends’ intensified
efforts to control Yellow star-thistle – the “Y2KYST” phenomenon.