Nature Hannah

A few more from an alley in Kalamazoo, the power station near the senior center in kzoo, growing through a car, between utilities (in the UK there's some pics of it growing in the wiring and disrupting services), at a "No Dumping" Site where it was dumped and took off, and swallowing a house.

Utility lines are a great place to find knotweed. (I'm still waiting for pictures from BCK CISMA of a Consumer's Energy Site that the company keeps driving their truck through. I heard it was awesome (in a bad way)).

I've called Best Way Disposal and sent them some information. They said they have 'rejection notices' they can leave on the carts saying why it was rejected. I suggested they add a line/box for knotweed for the future, with a little explanation/direction. The danger we might run into is that if people can't send it somewhere, they'll start dumping, which could make the problem worse. So, there will need to be a path/directions for disposal set up before or con-current with implementation of rejection of the material.

From a historic district in Kalamazoo. The person who called me said that the neighbor has been giving this soil to everyone in the neighborhood.

This is that building in Kalamazoo

I know it's controversial, but I have to be true to the information I'm getting from the UK. Knotweed can be dormant in the soil for around 20 years. (according to many sources in the UK, including their Environment Agency) Countless 'knotweed' businesses have been developed in the UK, whose sole purpose is to treat and monitor properties with knotweed infestations. These companies sell their services in 10-year contracts: application of herbicide (roughly 3 years) and then monitoring for regrowth the rest of the 10 years. Some declare it eradicated after two years of no regrowth, but given the 20-year potential dormancy, this is- in mine and others opinion- not wise. The Invasive Species Council of British Columbia (CAN) is offering the public classes on how to start an Invasive Species Treatment Business. Not plant specific, but more of the BUSINESS side of the deal. I think this idea is something we in Michigan should latch on to, and see about replicating in our service areas. During the field trip to West Michigan CISMA this year, I heard it over and over: "We just don't have enough people to monitor all this property for knotweed!" Also, with funding running out and grants not being awarded (among other reasons for dissolution), CISMAs and others who have been treating knotweed for the public run the risk of having poked the bear for a year or two, only to not be there when it rages back in an explosion of growth. (which could leave the problem worse than when the strike teams first arrived- this plant fights back). I encourage any organization with the ability, to explore providing the entrepreneurial public with opportunities to start an Invasive Species Treatment Business. I understand the risk and fear of people being out there, 'going crazy' with treatments and things, but I feel that that is where -> WE <- can provide the guidance and support so that it is done RIGHT. Legitimately. (Think: partnerships in the community with business training associations- like ISCBC did with the Aboriginal Business Centre for their event. Maybe DNR/MDARD can be involved to create a 'fast track' program-...hate the name...- to promote this or make it easier to get information on herbicide training/certs...) They promoted the following: Finding the Entrepreneurial Mindset Goal Setting and Business Planning Financing Your Business and Understanding Cash Flow Business and Financial Administration Market Research and Marketing Your Business Requirements to Start Up and Invasive Species Management Business And required the following: * Underemployed resource industry workers * Interested in starting up their own invasive species service-based business * Hold a valid Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed Pesticide Applicators Certificate * Aware of invasive species and management issues in the region *Attendance to Orientation We CAN'T fight knotweed alone. It will suck up all our resources in a short amount of time. We need to build an 'army'... for lack of better terms.... A private sector army that HAS the time and resources to watch this stuff for 10+ years at a time. I'm diving into research papers and I keep coming up with the same result: We are going to be overrun by knotweed. (This researcher says forests are going to be a thing of the past because of knotweed: http://gearsofbiz.com/poison-ivy-an-unlikely-hero-in-warding-off-exotic-invaders/196733 The paper is here: https://bdj.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=20577 But we still have time to do something about it. I'm looking forward to working with anyone who wants to chat/come up with some state plans/ideas Here is the link to the course being put on by Invasive Species Council of British Columbia: http://bcinvasives.ca/resources/programs/invasive-species-training/northeast-bc-invasive-species-business-development-workshop/invasive-species-business-development-workshop-dec-5-6 Here is the link to an article about a guy quitting his job to start up a knotweed company WITH DRONES!: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/sourge-japanese-knotweed-moves-dolgellau-13852836 And just for some extra fun, here are three FANTASTIC two-minute videos from Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver: Knotweed video #1 -Intro <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J99e_rTJ66U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Knotweed video #2 –How it spreads <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZTgoan0jLnQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Knotweed video #3 -Handling <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzG63ujtCo8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Variegated knotweed, one years growth

I belong to a National Parks Employee Group on Facebook. I asked about knotweed in the parks and they've given me some resources to look into what the National Parks are doing for invasive species monitoring and treatment. Here's the links: https://irma.nps.gov/Portal/ There's also one called "PUPS" that you have to be a ranger to have access to, but maybe you can call in favors if you need to

http://www.twincities.com/2015/05/12/battling-buckthorn-woodbury-inventors-have-your-back/ Any success with these? Any other species they might work on?

Wonderful! 2015 Harper's Magazine Article: Day of the Knotweed (pretty much the whole story in one article)

Found this building in Kalamazoo 6/24/17! If anyone wants to know the address, message me!

Someone in Pittsburgh PA said they had success with pumpkin in 2014. I followed up with them and they said the success was short lived and knotweed has taken over the hillside again. (Just in case anyone suggests pumpkins )

I'm turning up some great stuff and want you to be able to access it too! Cornwall Council- PDFs for almost every job that could encounter knotweed Environment Agency's Knotweed Code of Practice (the first couple pages are changes, the pretty pictures and flow chart are after that ) (check out the Dendro Scott root barrier use!) 2010 Article by Dr. John "Professor Knotweed" Bailey Dr. John "Professor Knotweed" Bailey's UofL informative webpage (he retired in 2014, I'm trying to find current contact info) Dr. John "Professor Knotweed" Bailey's 2016 Invasive Weed Conference presentation to Property Care (How deep do you want to go?) I'll post more as comments as I come to them. Happy reading!

So far this year I've been contacted at my city job by more people than last year, TOTAL, and a lot of them are sounding desperate and wore out. The knotweed IS spreading. Some of us are trying to put together a knotweed conference, so I'll start a new thread for it. But I still insist that knotweed can be your vehicle to reach people about invasive species across the board. It hits people in their pocket books, it got here because it was 'pretty', and people are moving it without knowing. Perfect examples

I've seen people trying the "tarp" method... but not realizing it doesn't work when there are fences around...

I've also found it en route to Compost Facilities...

and then it started running...

And then there was the frost kill...

You've probably noticed, it's kinda crazy out there this year...

You've probably noticed, it's kinda crazy out there this year...

This is going to be big going forward, because as a Tall Grass and Weeds enforcer, I can explain why a property hasn't been mowed due to knotweed, but the person who comes after me may not understand and mow through what I tip toed around. Also, if the City structure doesn't understand the danger and ORDERS it mowed, there is the possibility of being liable for spread. It's such a tricky subject, but something that must be talked about as a community so our message/direction is clear across the board. #ThisPlantChangesEverything

I'll try to be better about updating things here this season. Crazy busy in my personal life and all this knotweed stuff is done in my "free time". I've been honored to speak for a couple CISMA events in Mid and Southwest Michigan over the winter. I'm trying to keep up with developments in the United Kingdom and share them on my Facebook page, but even that has fallen behind. Still, some exciting finds I'll share in this post and as I discover them! In other awesome news, I've been selected to take the message of the coming "Day of the Knoweed" to the American Public Works Association National Public Works Conference in August! Knotweed will have a National platform and hopefully put the Michigan Network(s) on the map! So now I'm going to need as much help as possible hearing what cities in Michigan and other states are doing to spread awareness and NOT spread the plant. Please send me pictures of local damage I can share! I will be echoing the call for a NATIONAL awareness and response, and sharing the containment information from the UK, that you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading (Cut and dry basics) http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109 (you'll have to scroll past the "changes" to get to the "pretty" stuff http://www.cornwallknotweed.org.uk/media/3638576/identification-final.pdf (So pretty!) http://www.cornwallknotweed.org.uk/environment-and-planning/trees-hedges-and-woodland/invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed/ (The Hub of great, proven, acclaimed information. Click around!) There's also been a ground-breaking case of a court ruling AGAINST the Railroad in a Japanese knotweed case. It's expected that the Railroad will appeal, but it's HUGE because it sets the precedent for thousands of affected landowners in the UK who have land touching 'superpowers' like Railroad and City/Council property infested with knotweed. I wouldn't spread this information around too much, but just be aware that this could change things even over here. Here is the legal framework for how/why the case has (so far) turned out the way it has. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=69332368-0417-4a0b-a149-812c43bea324 Also worth knowing, this company is exploring using electricity to boil the water inside the plant... http://www.producebusinessuk.com/purchasing/stories/2017/01/25/sustainable-and-eco-friendly-ways-to-deal-with-weeds I'm starting to encourage participants to form action groups, contacting their local representatives and people they know in research universities to see who might already be doing research on knotweed in Michigan. At the very least, it gets the name "Japanese knotweed" out there. Happy 2017 season!

I just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109 More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading

I just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109 More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading

This is something that I think ALL of the CISMAs need to be working on for Japanese knotweed (and others, but JKW is my baby), and one that works across all of Michigan. City of Kalamazoo hired a contractor from Ann Arbor to do some roadwork that went right up next to a big patch of knotweed and fortunately COK had my info in time to warn them. But there would be nothing lost to getting a "stamp of recognition" program functioning before the coming panic hits. These companies need training, and the public needs to know who they can turn to to protect them from knotweed contamination. I also just found this knotweed Code of Practice from the Environmental Agency of the UK. It's a download document, and the first couple pages are 2013 changes. Word in the newspaper articles I'm reading is that the UK is tightening the belt and starting to REQUIRE the "knotweed removal companies" to adhere to the codes because so many make a quick buck and make the problem worse. So more changes may be coming. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=109 More info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading