Removal of the Ob-Noxious Weed Scotch Broom in the Klamath River Watershed

By Xana Hermosillo

Scotch broom (Cystisus scoparius) has infected the North American landscape since around the mid-nineteenth century. Introduced to the United States in the 1850s, some historians suggest that the plant was inadvertently brought over from Europe during the California gold rush. The miners, searching for gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, got thirsty and asked family and friends to ship crates of whiskey to them. Of course, bubble wrap had yet to be invented, so Scotch Broom was allegedly packed in the crates with the liquor to protect the glass bottles.

However humorous is this story, another more widely accepted explanation contends that the plant was brought from Europe to be used as an aesthetic decoration. When examining this 3-7 foot tall shrub covered with yellow, sometimes red, pea- like flowers, most people can appreciate its natural beauty. It is no surprise, then that it is still sold in nurseries today, despite its invasive and destructive ecological qualities. Invasive plants grow readily in disturbed areas and push out the natural vegetation.

However aesthetically pleasing this plant may appear to the human eye, I cannot see the beauty in any noxious weed, especially Scotch Broom. That is why on June 4^th, 2010, I invited community members from the town of Happy Camp, California to join the members of the Americorps Watershed Stewards Project and the Klamath National Forest’s Happy Camp Ranger District (HCRD) to work together to remove Scotch Broom from a patch near Wingate Bar along the Klamath River.

We sited an area of Scotch Broom along Clear Creek Road, eight miles down river from Happy Camp along Highway 96. Driving the first few miles of this particular road can ruin a vehicle’s paint job! Large, dense thickets of well established Scotch Broom line the road and will scratch any car that ventures up. If you can make it through the wall of invasive vegetation, you will follow the road to Clear Creek, the champagne of creeks along the Klamath River. With its steep canyon walls and crystal clear water, Clear Creek offers diverse destinations. Clear Creek is an entrance into the Siskiyou Wilderness, bearer of many magnificent swimming holes, and a favorite playground for kayakers.

Thanks to the hard work initiated by the HCRD’s noxious weed crew a few years ago, many of the large Scotch Broom shrubs were removed from along side the road. Now, continual removal efforts leave behind only a small quantity of seedlings, and these are much easier to remove. Spring 2010 was a relatively wet season with rain falling just a few days prior to the June 4 restoration project date. The moist soil made for easier work.

(RIGHT) The author removes a small Scotch Broom seedling by hand. 

Everyone quickly bent over to the closest plant and started pulling, many sliding right out of the soil with little effort. Larger, more established plants required the use of weed wrenches. These long metal tools have jaws that grip the base of a plant, and help create leverage for removal. A Scotch Broom plant freshly pulled from the ground provides visual illustration of one reason for their high survival rate. The single, large root grows deep in the soil, often turning in multiple directions. Scotch Broom roots are also nitrogen-fixing, and allow the plants to survive in soils that lack nutrients, and in turn increase soil acidification.

(LEFT) The author uses a weed wrench to remove a stubborn Scotch Broom plant.

For several hours, the volunteer crew worked tirelessly trying to remove all individuals of the plant that the state of California has labeled a “Class C noxious weed.” Some volunteers worked along the road to remove the small seedlings, while others headed off the road to pull the much larger, seed-producing queens. One Scotch Broom can release up to 12,000 seeds a year. The seeds are released from their pod and shoot a few feet away from the plants. They can germinate up to 30 years later after traveling far from their starting point via vehicle tires, clothing, rain, and streams.

By the end of the afternoon, large burn piles of Scotch Broom lined the road. Most piles were 64 square feet and 3-4 feet tall, totaling over 400 plants. Near the end of the day, as the first wave of volunteers grew tired and hungry, a new wave showed up: a fire engine filled with fire fighters eager to do their part. In an hour’s time, they created a burn pile that was over 100 square feet and 10 feet tall.

(RIGHT) Jon Grunbaum (Fisheries Biologist, Happy Camp Ranger District and WSP mentor) unloads Scotch Broom to form a large burn pile.

What good did we do for our community that day? By removing Scotch Broom, we created fuels reduction and allowed native plants to gain back their territory. Local wildlife will also enjoy their increased ability to move through the forest and graze on edible native plants. Scotch Broom can be found throughout California and other states, including Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. For more information on efforts in your area to remove Scotch Broom and other noxious weeds, contact your county’s Weed Management Area Group.

Xana Hermosillo became an Americorps volunteer with the Watershed Stewards Project due to her love for fish and teaching children. She works in Happy Camp, California with the Fisheries Department in the Klamath National Forest's Happy Camp Ranger District. She can be contacted via email at:  xana.hermosillo@ccc.ca.gov.