Notice English ivy in flower before it goes to seed, before birds eat the berries and deposit them in the woods, reinfesting the hard work of neighbors and the expensive work of professional removal.
Notice how ivy changes leaf shape and sets seed when it climbs vertically. Cutting “ivy rings” around trees slows its spread and saves the tree.
Know that ivy suppresses native plant diversity needed for birds and pollinators. Ivy smothers sprouting trees and deeper-rooted native plants that help prevent landslides. Ivy plus blackberry (or any food source) are prone to rodent infestations. Left unchecked, ivy could become entrenched regionwide, affecting forest regeneration, timber, fishing, and recreational economies. Human health, property values, and quality of life are at stake.
Expect continual reinfestations from ivy “seed rain” unless everyone cuts fruiting ivy within the same year. Our island is protected from outside seed sources, so working together, Vashon has a good chance at control. Share this notice with neighbors and offer to help.
If removing ivy by hand, mulch with woodchips or burlap to prevent soil erosion that exacerbates toxic stormwater, “the number one polluter of Puget Sound.”
Consider the how-to guide at www.seedrain.org and fact sheets at King County’s NoxiousWeeds website.