Cambria is nestled in one of five native stands of Monterey Pine forest. Living in a forest is different from living in a subdivision. The forest requires some care to remain healthy. One of the threats to a healthy forest is exotic, invasive weeds.
Exotic in this context doesn’t mean ...more ↓
Cambria is nestled in one of five native stands of Monterey Pine forest. Living in a forest is different from living in a subdivision. The forest requires some care to remain healthy. One of the threats to a healthy forest is exotic, invasive weeds.
Exotic in this context doesn’t mean beautiful. It means plants that are not native. They may arrive in many ways, but once here, they take root. Some spread into the forest, rangeland and the rest of the landscape. Once there, they may displace native species, hybridize with native species, alter biological communities, or alter ecosystem processes. That’s when they become invasive.
Invasive plants take over land needed by native plants. Having a clear guide to tell the difference between native and exotic, non-native plants is necessary for effective weed management. Cambria residents need it for their own landscape maintenance. Landscape workers need it for their work maintaining private property and public areas.
Cambria mandates that weeds be controlled on public and private property to reduce fire danger. Each year, the Community Services District provides a list of properties on which weeds must be abated to local contractors. Lots on which weeds have not been removed will be cleared by these contractors and the property owners charged for the service.
Untrained workers remove all vegetation from designated lots, native and non-native. The result is regrowth of invasives, which are already outcompeting native plants. It’s important for workers to be able to identify native plants and protect them while removing invasives. Greenspace the Cambria Land Trust has conducted informational workshops in the past for workers, in English and Spanish. Attending the class is recognized with a certification from the Fire Department that the worker understands the differences. Greenspace intends to resume those workshops in Spring 2017.
Many lots in Cambria are protected by Conservation Easements or are otherwise retired from development. They are owned either by the public or by nonprofit organizations such as Greenspace the Cambria Land Trust.
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