Join the Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI) this Saturday for an opportunity to “tend the wild” in the ‘Inimim Forest, your local community forest stewardship project.
Come have fun, learn about forest ecology, and help keep our forests healthy.
This event is part of the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County‘s Scotch Broom Challenge, an annual effort to reduce the impacts of this invasive plant.
Date: Saturday, March 4
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (snacks provided)
Meeting Location:
North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center (parking lot)
17894 Tyler Foote Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
We will be meeting in the Schoolhouse parking lot at 9 am for registration and a brief orientation to the work day. Then we will carpool to a nearby work site in the ‘Inimim Forest to pull Scotch broom.
Bring water, work clothes, sturdy shoes, and layers. Snacks, gloves, and tools will be provided. This is a rain or shine event.
Please RSVP to Chris Friedel at chris@yubawatershedinstitute.org, or call (530) 955-1822.
Why remove Scotch broom?
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a highly invasive non-native plant species. It was introduced to California as an ornamental plant in the 1850s and has since spread to cover more than 700,000 acres in the coastal and Sierra Nevada foothill regions of the state.
This plant is considered a pest for the following reasons:
- Scotch broom is highly flammable and acts as a “ladder fuel,” spreading wildfire from the ground to the tree tops.
- Displaces native and beneficial vegetation, forming dense stands which impede the movement of wildlife and degrade habitat quality.
- Can impede the growth of trees in forested settings.
- Spreads quickly – one shrub can produce up to 15,000 seeds after two years of growth.
- Seeds can live in the seedbank for over 80 years!