Author: Mike Rosen

Non-native, invasive weeds are spreading through Portland's natural areas, displacing native plants and destroying wildlife habitat. In November 2005, City Commissioner Sam Adams convened a town hall meeting to begin developing a strategy to stop the spread of invasive plants.

As a result of the town hall meeting, City Council adopted the Invasive Plant Species Resolution. The Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) [1] Watershed Division has the primary responsibility for coordinating and implementing the effort. The Watershed Division is identifying projects and resources to accomplish these objectives of the Invasive Species Resolution:

• Invest in maintenance of existing natural and re-vegetated areas.
• Build on existing citywide invasive species management investment.
• Incorporate invasive species management into existing watershed restoration work (i.e., implementation of the Portland Watershed Management Plan [2]).
• Continue to coordinate with regional groups such as Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA [3]) and community-based organizations.
• Quantify and implement a 10-year goal of invasive species reduction on city property (Reduce, Control and Eradicate).
• Develop an ongoing, citywide work plan for invasive species management that integrates this work into regular operations.
• Partner with federal and state agencies to develop sustainable funding.

Accomplishments to date include:

• Increased Columbia Slough Watershed [4] Investment Fund Invasive Species Control project by $40,000 to $100,000. In addition to management of invasive species on "orphan"* City property, we will expand the role of community involvement for invasive species removal on private property.
• Coordination with CWMA [5].
• Began work on the "Weed of the Month" Program and agreed to provide Watershed funds to sustain this work.
• Provided $30,000 in Willamette Watershed operating funds to Stephens Creek invasive weed control as part of Lower Willamette River Riparian and Wetland Enhancement [6] funded work.
• Continued work with Stephens Creek Watershed Investment Fund [7] team to further define work and clarify the Watershed Revegetation Program [8] component.

Partners
• CWMA [9]
• Portland Audubon
[10]• Three Rivers

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