We need to fine people for growing Invasive non native plants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look up the history of plants in this country, you’d be shocked at how different the local landscape looked 200 years ago.

Everything from the squirrels that were essentially imported to this town by a senators wife in the 1920’s, to the tree of Heaven that were brought from China over a century ago to the Russian olives…it’s interesting sht that no one really thinks about.

That said yeah it sucks, but English ivy is so common.

Don’t forget the cherry blossoms! These should go and be replaced with native species.

[Anonymous]

If you’re the English Ivy poster you seem to be under the mistaken impression that everyone with foliage on their property planted it. The English ivy in our yard must have been “planted” 25 years ago. Who is going to pay me to hire someone to tear it all out and replace it with something else?

[Anonymous]

I love English Ivy and Bamboo. I believe in freedom too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re the English Ivy poster you seem to be under the mistaken impression that everyone with foliage on their property planted it. The English ivy in our yard must have been “planted” 25 years ago. Who is going to pay me to hire someone to tear it all out and replace it with something else?

+1
The ivy has been here longer than I have. It will be here after I die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sick and tired of idiots growing stupid crap like bamboo and english ivy. Stop killing our trees and other native species please. Any home growing things like bamboo needs to be heavily fined out of existence until they take care of the problem. The stupid crap spreads like wildfire and kills tons of our natives every year. Same with ivy. Fine people that have this in their yards please. We also recently went biking along Rock Creek Trail. Really disturbing how much bamboo has spread along the trail because jerkwads can't control it from their yards or they dump bamboo remnants from their yards into the woods that ends up causing it to spread even more. Fine..fine. fine.

I agree with you except I have a crap ton of bamboo in our backyard that was not disclosed by the sellers and had been cut to the ground so we didnt know it was on our side and it was also February.

Id love to have the extra funds (5-7k) and the compliance of my neighbor to facilitate this but I dont. In order to rid my backyard of the bamboo I would need permission from my neighbor to remove the chain-link fence and dig up their yard as well otherwise, its hopeless because it will just spread back to my yard. We keep it trimmed. We rip up roots if they show. We are going to try salt down the shoots this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love English Ivy and Bamboo. I believe in freedom too.

Apparently you believe in stupidity too, but that isn't illegal I guess.

[Anonymous]

You know what else should be banned from plant nurseries? Nandina Domestica (heavenly bamboo). It's everywhere. Even Costco sells it in the Spring.

The berries on this attractive shrub are toxic and kill songbirds. The birds eat them because, well, they're berries. And then they die.

[Anonymous]

Most people aren't growing it on purpose. It's invasive -- it invades the things you are trying to grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love English Ivy and Bamboo. I believe in freedom too.

Another person who doesn't understand freedom. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love English Ivy and Bamboo. I believe in freedom too.

Does your version of freedom allow vandalism, destruction fo property, etc.? Or does your version of freedom recognize that other people also have rights, that laws are needed where competing rights come in conflict, and that we all owe a community obligation to our shared world in order to have a civilization where we can enjoy certain (but not all) freedoms?

[Anonymous]

So bye bye to the cherry blossom trees? Weren't they a gift from Japan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re the English Ivy poster you seem to be under the mistaken impression that everyone with foliage on their property planted it. The English ivy in our yard must have been “planted” 25 years ago. Who is going to pay me to hire someone to tear it all out and replace it with something else?

I’m not the English Ivy poster but I do think this is just like other homeowner responsibilities. If you bought a house with lead or asbestos you’re responsible for dealing with it. Same with this.

[Anonymous]

The pear trees are such a problem and many of those were planted by public entities. This isn’t a pissing match, it’s just a problem we all have to manage.

I would be more supportive of providing funding and incentives for people to remove invasive plants from their properties. But a big part of the challenge is that it’s really hard to remove bamboo and Ivy. So it’s an ongoing maintenance project.

[Anonymous]

I love English Ivy! My neighbor has it growing near our fence and I love that it’s creeping into my yard. I think it’s gorgeous.

[Anonymous]

So how does this work if you don't know about plants and you buy a house with an invasive? Or your neighbor's invasive sneaks into your yard? Or seeds are carried by birds into your yard?

I agree with education and not allowing nurseries to sell certain plants but no, not fining homeowners.

We'd be better off focusing on overuse of herbicides, insecticides and fertilizer. See recent songbird deaths during the cicadas.