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1. There are weeds on property next to mine which keeps infesting my property, what can I do?

Each landowner is responsible for the noxious weed species outlined in the County weed list of 2016. The weeds on that list are classified as either Class A, B, or C which is indicated either behind the common names or in the list titles. Class A weeds are the highest priority and are required for eradication meaning you have to remove all plant matter immediately. Class B weeds are required for control meaning you have to prevent it from reproducing (which is most effectively done through eradication). Class C weeds are not recommended for control but not required. 

If you are concerned about weeds on another property, please feel free to contact us and let us know. We can contact landowners and help them with management strategies and inform them of the legal issues. 

For more information, check out the

Noxious Weed Laws info.

2. I keep removing weeds but they keep coming back up each year, what can I do?

Noxious weed control is a 2-step process. Step 1 is to remove the noxious weeds, step 2 is to put something desirable back. If you remove weeds and leave the soil bare, the noxious weed’s seed bed that is already in the soil will be able to germinate. Additionally, bare soil is a great place for new seeds to settle and germinate as well. By reseeding an area with a desirable species, or by planting plugs or even bigger plants, you introduce competition for the noxious weed seeds to cope with. There is rarely ever a quick fix in ecology but by introducing competition into the system, it will be much harder for the noxious weeds to regain full control.

3. I have removed noxious weeds, what do I do with the plant material?

The safest way to get rid of plant material is to bag it and bring it to the solid waste facility as trash, not compost. There are conflicting reports on the effects of composting noxious weeds. Some argue the compost gets to a high enough temperature for it to kill any propagules (seeds / root fragments / etc), whilst others report instances of noxious weeds growing out of a compost pile. Therefore, to err on the side of caution, the Weed Board advices people to out their weeds into the trash.

4. I have a plant in my garden and I do not know the species. How do I identify it?

There are several ways we can help with identification. If you suspect it is a noxious weed bringing us a sample would allow us to try and identify it for you. Alternatively, the Master Gardeners program meets each Monday and will identify any samples brought to them. Lastly, you could e-mail clear photographs to the Weed Board which we will try and identify.

5. I have a noxious weed in my garden and I know the species, how do I control it?

The Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Board’s website offers links to the ‘’Noxious Weeds Fact Sheets’’ and ‘’Best Management Practices’’ of the most common noxious weeds. Additionally, the Weed Board has Weed wrenches available to be borrowed for free at any time. These are great tools for removing larger weeds such as Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry, and tall Poison hemlock plants, root and all. If you would like any further information feel free to contact the Weed Board at any time.

6. What does the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Board do?

The Weed Board has 3 main duties:

- To provide outreach information in order to better educate the public about the severe economic and ecological impacts of noxious weeds.
- Survey for noxious weed infestations and relay that information to landowners / land managers.
- To enforce the WAC 16-750 and RCW 17.10 weed laws regarding Class A and B noxious weed management.

The Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Board has a staff of 2 people whose focus does not lie on controlling weeds. There are many other organizations, businesses, volunteers, and groups that focus on weed control. A county Weed Board is an organization that provides oversight and assistance in every aspect of noxious weed management.

7. What are Noxious Weeds?

Washington’s noxious weeds are non-native plants that are invasive, competitive and very hard to control once established. They lower property values, decrease agricultural production, degrade wildlife habitat, threaten our native plants, reduce enjoyment of recreational areas and create public health hazards.
Noxious weeds are everybody’s problem—they impact homeowners, farmers, environmentalists, tourists, public land managers and elected officials. Noxious weeds easily cross ownership boundaries so it is important that we all work together to control them.

8. Who Decides What is a Noxious Weed?

Every year the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board puts out a State Weed List. Weeds are divided into three classes. Class A Weeds are ones which are not yet widespread in Washington but could have serious impacts if they became established. State law requires eradication of all Class A weeds. Class B Weeds are prevalent in some parts of the state and less so in others; control is required in designated areas. Class C Weeds are ones which are already widespread; control is encouraged but not required. However, counties can select Class B or C Weeds and require control within their own county.

9. Who Should Control Noxious Weeds?

State Weed Law says that control of noxious weeds is the landowner’s responsibility. However, staff of the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Program are available to assist landowners with noxious weed identification and control options. We also have tools that can help with weed removal. Feel free to call our office 360-379-5610 ext .205 with your questions about noxious weeds.