KING COUNTY

NOXIOUS

WEED

CONTROL

PROGRAM

STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING

POLLINATOR / HERBICIDE

INTERACTION

KING COUNT Y NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD

POLICY ON

NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

“In partnership with the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, we have adopted practices to minimize impacts to bees and other native pollinators, while continuing to fulfill our obligations in King County.”

Through Best Management Practices and Integrated Pest Management we are able to perform our work with respect to pollinators and still reach our goals for control

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Timing is everything!

“…the KCNWCP will make every reasonable effort to schedule control work so that it will minimize potential interaction with bees. As such, staff members will make every reasonable effort to avoid contact with pollinators where flowering plants are located and will schedule treatments during non-flowering periods and during times when the bees will not be active.”

KING COUNT Y NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD

POLICY ON

NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

1st year knotweed treatment at Snoqualmie Falls.

KCNWCP crew member applies foliar spray late in the

season after flowering.

PC: Justin Brooks

Control and Replace!

“…the KCNWCP is committed to working closely with landowners in project areas to re-establish desirable native and non-invasive plant species to replace the controlled noxious weeds. These non-invasive and native species offer an alternative pollen and nectar source that are not harmful, state regulated noxious weeds. These replacement species offer substantial benefits for bees and pollinators and also benefit water quality, fish and wildlife—whereas invasive noxious weeds do not .”

KING COUNT Y NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD

POLICY ON

NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

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I n t h e 2 016 S ea so n ,

2 . 5 r i ve r m i les o f n ew p ro jec t a r ea wer e a d d ed to t h e Up p er S n o . A va r ie t y o f m a n a g em en t s t r a teg ies wer e em p loyed to a l l ev ia te p o l l i n a to r/ h e r b i c id e i n te r a c t io n o n f l ower in g s t a n d s o f k n o t weed .

L e f t : E a r t h C o r p sc r ew sk ip s t h ro u g h f lower ing k n o t weed a n d m a kes t h e i r way to sp r ay veg et a t i ve k n o t weed u p s t r ea m .

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

Histor ic par ts of the pro ject area were sur vey/t reated dur ing peak f lower ing .

Lef t : KCNWCP crew member t reats vegetat i ve knotweed on the South Fork Snoqualmie River.

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

Toward the end of the summer we had t reated a l l h is tor ic par ts of the pro ject area and needed to move into in i t ia l t reatment areas that s t i l l had f lowers present .

Lef t : Ho l low stem in ject ion can be used whi le po l l inators are act ive on f lowers .

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

Once f lower ing was a lmost over, c rews would spray knotweed in the ear ly morning and switch to in ject ion dur ing the heat of the day when pol l inators were most act ive .

Lef t : KCNWCP crew member t reats knotweed f rom the unders ide of the canopy, prevent ing spray f rom get t ing on f lowers .

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

Once f lower ing

was complete

we were able to

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st retch of the

new pro ject

area before the

f i r s t f rost !

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crew member

sprays

knotweed af ter

f lowers have

fa l len of f .

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

Af ter a s i te has been in t reatment for at least three years , i t is a potent ia l candidate for nat ive p lant restorat ion.

Lef t : Restorat ion p lant ing s i te at O la l l ie State Park on the South Fork Snoqualmie River. Insta l la t ion by Mounta ins to Sound Greenway Trust in 2011 .

UPPER

SNOQUALMIE

RIVER

KNOT WEED

PROJECT

STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING

POLLINATOR / HERBICIDE INTERACTION

SUMMARY

Low Toxicity

Herbicides

Choose an herbicide that is most effective at controlling the target noxious weed, while exhibiting the lowest risk and toxicity characteristics

Timing

Schedule foliar application when flowers are not present or pollinators are not actively

foraging. Hollow stem injection may also be used

during flowering periods

Replace Noxious Weeds

with Native Plants

Replace invasive weeds with desirable vegetation that meets the needs of foraging pollinators