On Thursday October 18th, 2012 from 8:30 to noon, the Butte County Fire Safe Council and the Paradise Fire Safe Council are hosting a Doom the Broom training day from 8:30 am – 12 noon in which the goal is to “train the trainers” on a range of effective methods for managing and working to diminish and even eradicate the invasive weed broom (Cytisus sp). Photo: A summer-dry-creek bed infested with invasive and fire-prone Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Calli-Jane Burch, Executive Director for the Butte County Fire Safe Council, which consists of six member councils, has been working for more than a year with a broad coalition of interested parties compiling the information, techniques and tools for this training program. This broad coalition includes the regional member fire councils in Paradise, Forest Ranch, Concow and Yankee Hill, as well as with native plant enthusiasts, environmental councils and water resource and wetland managers. The idea behind the training day is based on broom management models in Forest Ranch (the initiative known as BEEP – see more below), in Yankee Hill and others. The idea is to train those people who are then interested and able to train others. “Who should attend? General Public, Homeowners, Gardeners, Land Managers, Service Clubs and Group, Watershed Groups, Resource Agencies, Public Works agencies, Property managers, anyone willing to help others with broom removal and eradication.”
Speaking with Glenn Nader, Livestock and Natural Resources advisor for the UC Cooperative Extension, and board member of the Butte County Fire Safe Council, the wide variety of people and groups interested in the management of broom, really speaks to how widespread the problem of this particular invasive plant group is – it chokes waterways, it overwhelms native areas, it’s an extreme fire-hazard.
“Based on the effectiveness of training days, experience and research in other areas, this training day will be very hands-on and will work to provide a whole ‘tool-box’ of ideas and methods people can use to combat this plant. If you are able to pull the plants, we will not just tell you how to pull, we will show you in a hands-on demo how to do this. If you are more likely to cut, we will explain and show you how and when to cut this plant for most effective control of it. If you are going to use herbicides, we will show you how to do this. Not one tool or method will work for everyone – and the problem is so huge in some areas that people start to feel defeated and give up – we want to teach people how to work more effectively so that the process is not so daunting. Broom is tough.”
I first wrote about broom in 2010, when I profiled a local broom-eradication program model in Forest Ranch known as BEEP, founded and spearheaded by http://jewellgarden.com/blog/2010/06/04/sweeping-out-invasive-broom-plants-the-broom-education-and-eradication-program-in-forest-ranch-an-interview-with-dulcy-schroeder/, which was one of the local models that inspired this broader training outreach.
French broom (Genista monspessulana) and Spanish broom (Spartia junceum) and Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) are all variously known as broom and all are known invasives (and fire hazards) in almost all parts of California. The California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) puts at least 23 California counties suffering the environmental and economic consequences of trying to control broom infestations. All of these broom species are legumes, members of the pea family and originally native to Europe. The develop amazing tap roots, which make them both very successful in drought climates as well as very difficult to completely pull once they are established. Like most peas, they form a dizzying number of pods filled with very hard coated seeds that sources say can remain viable for between 20 and 80 years. According to BEEP literature, they were first introduced to California as garden ornamentals in the 1850s and eventually used by the government along roadways for erosion control. Photo: The many, many seed pods of a maturing broom plant.
Without any of the natural controls of their home territories in Europe, the brooms have nothing to hold them back. Even fire seems to give them a leg-up as the seeds are able to germinate more quickly and effectively than native seeds and ultimately broom seedlings shade out other plants trying to regenerate.
According to Cal-IPC, broom was first reported as an invasive problem on Catalina Island in 1967. Currently, Cal-IPC writes: “Broom species have been identified as the second most problematic weed by Weed Management Area managers. They block light and use up water, resulting in many native species becoming locally extinct. It reduces forage and creates stands which are inaccessible and unpalatable to wildlife. Brooms can produce up to 12,000 seeds per plant – making it difficult to control once established. They form dense stands that cover 100% and eliminate native habitats. Brooms can invade even intact native ecosystems – and regrow after fire and grazing are used to control them.”
Doom the Broom Training Day:
Thursday October 18, 2012 8:30 AM to Noon
Paradise United Methodist Church
6722 Clark Rd
Across from the Paradise Cinema
Refreshments will be provided
Hosted by the Paradise and Butte County Fire Safe Councils
During this Workshop you will learn about:
Home Assessment
Native Plant Options for replanting, with Germaine Boivin from Floral Native Nurser
Treatment Methods and Strategies
Resources for information and tools
For more information on the training program and how to get involved: http://www.thenet411.net/index.php/broom
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In a North State Garden is a weekly Northstate Public Radio and web-based program celebrating the art, craft and science of home gardening in Northern California. It is made possible in part by the Gateway Science Museum – Exploring the Natural History of the North State and on the campus of CSU, Chico. In a North State Garden is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell – all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In a North State Garden airs on Northstate Public Radio Saturday mornings at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time. Podcasts of past shows are available here.
