What is a Noxious Weed?
A "weed" can mean different things to different people. A weed can simply be a plant out of place, like the plants growing up through the cracks in your sidewalk or the dandelions sprouting out of your lawn. However, there is a much more devastating type of weed than the nuisance plants that we all encounter around our homes.
The weeds described in this online brochure, known as "noxious" or "invasive", are some of the worst weed invaders found in San Luis Obispo County, and they cause serious problems for local agriculture and the environment.
These plants were introduced into our area from Europe and other areas across the globe, and have since escaped into our local cropland, rangeland, and wildland areas. These weeds disrupt agricultural activities in vineyards, orchards, and row crops. They decrease the productivity of pastures and rangeland causing a reduction in usable land. They cause untold ecological damage by crowding out native plants and degrading wildlife habitat.
The worst of these plant invaders can actually alter the natural processes of the land, making an area more prone to fire or more susceptible to flooding and erosion.
What Can You Do to Help?
Educate yourself and help educate your friends and neighbors. Simply recognizing the problem is an important first step.
Don't contribute to the problem. Most people are not aware that they could actually create or facilitate a new weed infestation. Noxious weeds can be spread into uninfested areas through contaminated hay, seeds, or nursery stock. Weed seeds can also become lodged into vehicle tires, equipment, and even boots and clothing, and then spread into new areas.
There are also certain plants that are known to be invasive that are still sold in nurseries. Ask your nursery if the landscape plants you are purchasing could escape from your yard and create a problem for the agricultural industry or the environment