Island County Noxious Weed Program

04/09/2026

Want to help us remove some of those pesky noxious w**ds throughout Island County? We are looking for some able hands to help us in our ongoing efforts to help control and eradicate noxious w**ds. Click on the link below to see how to apply and join our team.

Primary responsibilities: conduct or aid noxious w**d control efforts on behalf of the County in public and private settings, assist the Program coordinator with field-oriented tasks or office work as directed. They may assist n the production of a variety of documents such as reports, w**d manageme...

06/13/2024

Looking for ways to get involved. This is a great opportunity to help out in the effort to control noxious w**ds here in Island County. Thanks to Friends of Whidbey State Parks for getting some boots on the ground.

Easy to pull- volunteers of all ages welcome to help!

05/28/2024

Have some weekend gardening or landscaping to do and not sure what that new odd looking plant is coming up? Come join us to learn all about the w**ds both good and bad on June 7th at the Oak Harbor Library. Hope to see you there!

Noxious w**ds destroy biological diversity, decrease forage, affect human health, increase erosion potential, and decrease land values across Island County.

Join Seth Luginbill, Island County Noxious W**ds Program Coordinator, at the Oak Harbor Library to learn more about key noxious w**d species present in Island County, what is being done to address their expansion, and how you can set your property up to best deal with this increasing threat.

The program will include live samples and an opportunity to bring your own plants of concern for identification.

This program is on Friday, June 7 at 4pm. For more information, please visit https://buff.ly/3UqSzDl

05/20/2024

Thanks to all who stopped by our booth at the Penn Cove Water Festival! Great to talk aquatic noxious w**ds and interact with you all.

If you missed us you will have more chances to dive into the w**ds in the near future. Join us this Friday, May 24th from 10 am-12:30 pm at Rhododendron Park to talk about poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and then help remove these nasty noxious w**ds present in our parks. To register scan the link provided in our announcement. We hope to see you there.

05/09/2024

Wow! Those w**ds have really started to flourish with the onset of the rain, sunshine, and accompanying warmth. Please consider joining us for our second w**d workshop on May 24th at Rhododendron Park. We will be looking at two of our most pesky species poison hemlock (conium maculatum) and tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris). Learn how to identify them from other look a likes and how to control these species.

Following our discussion we will get out and put new found knowledge to practice! Hope to see you there!

Sound Water Stewards, Island County Master Gardener Foundation, Whidbey Island Conservation District, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship

04/19/2024

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is one of the w**ds that we find ever present this time of year. Join us to learn more about this problematic w**d as well as other species of concern and put that knowledge to practice with a good old fashion pull party. Don't forgot your Gloves! Sound Water Stewards, Island County Master Gardener Foundation, Whidbey Island Conservation District, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship,

02/21/2024

Buds are breaking! flowers are even beginning to sprout! Noxious w**ds are unfortunately a part of spring as well and in anticipation of Invasive Species Awareness Week coming up (Feb 26 - March 1, 2024) please check out this article highlighting the impacts and what to keep an eye out for right here in Island County. Thanks to Whidbey News-Times for spending some time to bring forward this important issue.

https://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/whidbey-is-part-of-fight-against-invasive-species/

10/10/2023

For all you animals lovers and w**d warriors out there. Just in time for the Halloween season our friends at the Washington Invasive Species Council have put together this fun contest! Check it out!

Help raise awareness of invasive species in Washington by dressing up your pet this Halloween! Contest is free and open to all.

06/21/2023

We have started to see tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) flowering in a number of places throughout Whidbey. Join us this Friday, June 23rd at the Greenbank Farm to learn more and help address the growing infestation of this Class B, designated w**d. Workshop starts at 10 am. Hope to see you there.

Sound Water Stewards, Island County Master Gardener Foundation, Whidbey Island Conservation District, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship

05/15/2023

W**ds! W**ds! W**ds! We know, like ourselves, many of you are busy removing noxious w**ds from your properties. Often we get the question: "What do I do with all those w**ds I've just pulled?"

Island County Solid Waste and the Noxious w**d control program have partnered together for a number of years now to offer landowners an incentive through which any noxious w**ds from within Island County can be disposed free of charge. Be sure you have your w**ds secured either by bagging all w**d material or covering truck or trailer beds with a tarp to prevent accidental spread of w**d seed during transport.

Happy W**ding!