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Home My WebLink AboutAugust 10OSC Final_Minutes17-0810.docx 10/6/17 1 Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting August 10, 2017 Members and Associates Present: George Clifford, Richard Contreras, Nancy Couperus, Kit Gordon, Alice Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Jean Struthers, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch (Members); Peter Brown and Karen Lemes (Associates) Members and Associates Absent: None Council Liaison Present: Roger Spreen LAH Staff present: Carl Cahill, City Manager Allen Chen, Director of Public Works Member of Public Present: Pat Lange (LAH resident) Kjell Karlsson (LAH Finance and Investment Committee) 1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes A. Roll Call. NC called the meeting to order at 9:05 am. B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. KG moved to accept with minor amendments the minutes of the July 20, 2017 meeting. SS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, RC, NC, KG, AS, SS, JS, WW, SW). C. Announcements i. Upcoming Event: Innovators of Los Altos Hills. LAH History Committee is sponsoring this panel discussion on Sept 23, 2017 from 2-4 pm at Town Hall. Participants are Bill Coleman, Becky Morgan, Jim Morgan, and Ann Wojcicki. RSVP at LAH website to reserve seats. ii. Emergency List Sign Up. Residents can sign up at the Town web site to receive email or phone notice of emergencies from the Town (NIXEL) and/or from the county. iii. Seminar on Maintaining Rural Roads. GCRDC and SCRDC are sponsoring a workshop on maintaining and improving rural roads to be held Sept 20, 2017 at Redwood Estates Pavilion in Los Gatos. iv. Seminar on Vegetation Recovery After Fire. Grassroots Ecology is sponsoring a talk by ecologist Diane Renshaw, who worked on revegetation after fires at Tassajara Mountain Zen Center in Southern California. The talk is open to all and will be on Tuesday Aug 29 (9:30 am) at the PCC on East Bayshore. v. EDPC Meeting with Woodside Planning Staff. NC reported three members of the Woodside Planning Department, including the Asst Planning Director attended a recent EDPC meeting to learn about how LAH approaches various issues, including landscaping, trees, and screening. All participants found it interesting and productive to discuss problems in common. vi. Landscape Guidelines. PB has volunteered to update the Town landscape guidelines for EDPC. Members with any old materials (especially in electronic form) are asked to send them to him. vii. Planning Commission Review of Sterling Subdivision. To be held Sept 7, 2017. KG will prepare a presentation. No new materials have been posted on town web site to date. 2. New Business A. Byrne Preserve Fire. KG reported on the July 21, 2017 fire in Byrne Preserve. At around 3:30 pm, a spark from a tractor mowing for yellow star thistle control ignited the fire on the west-facing hillside above the Moody Creek floodplain. Thanks to the outstanding response of LAHCFD, CalFire, and the other units who responded, the fire was contained within an hour. Five acres of dried annual grasses and weeds burned, and lower leaves of several oaks were scorched. According to the Fire Chief, no structures were threatened, no evacuations ordered, and the fire was controlled within an hour. Fuel load in much of the area that burned has been reduced by weed control work in previous years done by Acterra and Grassroots Ecology. For example, mowing killed off the large stands of 6-ft tall mustard plants on the slope and hand-pulling removed a large stand of stinkwort extending across the trail at the base of the hill that could have carried the fire across the trail to the brush. OSC discussed the fire and how to reduce the risk of future fires. Suggestions include: developing a fire-safe mowing protocol; increasing efforts for weed control; further reducing fuel load in the preserve; evaluating access gates to Byrne. A brief memo summarizing observations and suggestions was sent to Carl Cahill, Allen Chen, OSC Final_Minutes17-0810.docx 10/6/17 2 and Jacob Asfour (Attachment A), along with several educational flyers (“Fire Safe” documents) from CalFire (Attachment B). OSC members were asked to review the draft and make additional suggestions. KG proposed the Town send CalFire flyers to all LAH residents each year prior to the fire season. B. Evaluation of Fuel Load in Open Space Preserves. OSC briefly discussed fuel reduction in the preserves and funding sources for this work; this will be put on the September OSC agenda. C. Hale Creek Pathways Improvements. The proposed work on this path is the final section along the Magdalena off-ramp from I-280, and will not impact the creek. 3. Planning A. Fence Permit Reviews. AS reviewed fence plans for the following parcels: i) 26691 Moody Road. GC recused himself for proximity. This is a new house on a substandard lot at the corner of Moody Road and Moody Court. RC and KG reported on their site visit. The developers want to install a 6-ft fence along the bank of Moody Creek, which runs through the parcel. This creek originates in Foothills Park and runs along Central Drive and through Byrne Preserve to join Adobe Creek at Hidden Villa). RC presented the draft recommendation. ii) 26966 Beatrice Lane. Developer proposes a solid fence along two sides. No open space issues. ii) 25750 Moody Road (Follow-up from July 20, 2017). Lot is at the intersection of Moody and Rhus Ridge Road. Developers plan a 6-ft tall wrought-iron fence, some of which falls within the riparian setback along Adobe Creek. At the July meeting, OSC recommended not approving the fence in the location proposed and not installing wrought iron fence in this area close to open space lands where wildlife is abundant. Planning Director, Suzanne Avila is reviewing easement documents and reported that the fence must be placed outside the riparian setback 25 feet from top of bank. B. OSC Site Reviews and Recommendations for Development Projects. i) 12857 La Cresta Drive. WW and RC volunteered to make site visit and write a draft OSC review. ii) 12735 Alta Verde Lane. KG and SW made a site visit and wrote a draft OSC review. Barron Creek runs through the parcel along the Concepcion frontage; a number of mature oaks are growing. SW moved that the OSC ask the Town to require the developers to 1) label the creek banks on the developers’ maps; 2) dedicate a riparian setback 25 feet from top on bank of Barron Creek on both side of the creek (Concepcion Road side and parcel side); 3) dedicate an open space easement as indicated by the line drawn on the map from the creek to include the canopy of the oaks along the eastern side of the creek; 4 And remove the invasive palm tree from the creek. NC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, RC, NC, KG, AS, SS, JS, WW, SW). C. Open Space Committee Review Turn-Around. EDPC property reviews are done by only 2-3 members— the entire committee does not discuss and make recommendations. OSC discussed using this method for OSC property reviews, which would allow a faster response to planning staff. No action was taken. 4. Continuing Business A. Recommendation on types of fences. It was suggested OSC write recommendations for safe fencing in wildlife-dense areas, including photos and rationale. Document will be sent to Planning Director, Suzanne Avila to include with fence and general development guidelines. B. Byrne Preserve i) Grassroots Ecology Update. Workdays for planting and invasive weed removal work will resume in early October or after the first rains. OSC thanked Sarah Robustelli for including Grassroots Ecology volunteer workdays in the new Town Activity Guide. ii) Weed Abatement at Westwind Community Barn. On Jun 8 after the OSC meeting, NC, KG, SW, and Council Liaison Roger Spreen met with City Manager Carl Cahill to discuss the need for invasive weed management on WWCB property (including the lower seasonal area where paddocks were recently removed) and received permission to interview vendors to: 1) evaluate the weed-infested wetland area below the barn; 2) prepare a short report with recommendations for management and cost estimate to do this work; and 3) provide a rough cost estimate for invasive weed management for the entire 15-acre WWCB parcel. —On June 23, SW sent an email to three vendors (Shelterbelt Builders, Ecological Concerns, and Go Native) soliciting assistance with the weeds. Shelterbelt and Ecological Concerns responded and OSC Final_Minutes17-0810.docx 10/6/17 3 scheduled site visits for late July and early August. —At the July 20 meeting OSC again discussed this and a subcommittee (NC, KG, SW) was formed. —KG and SW met with Shelterbelt on the lower site on July 26; and NC, KG, and SW met with Ecological Concerns (ECI) on Aug 8. ECI made a highly favorable impression based on their depth of knowledge and high-level strategic thinking about management of the site. They have a record of successful work with the Town, completing restoration projects on Adobe Creek (Edith Park) and Purissima Creek (O’Keefe OSP). OSC discussed at length the short- and long-term goals for this project, manure disposition at the barn, and vendor options, but did not make a decision on which vendor to recommend. C. Tree Ordinance Proposed by EDPC and OSC. Planner Steve Padovan will write the new ordinance and send it to OSC and EDPC for review before taking it to Planning Commission for approval. D. Subdivision Ordinance Update. Currently on hold prior to review by Planning Commission. E. Town-wide Pest Plant Management: Stinkwort Management. OSC is working with Town staff (City Manager Carl Cahill and Public Works Director, Allen Chen) to help reduce the extensive infestations of stinkwort on Town roadsides and pathways. At the July 20, 2017 meeting, OSC moved to recommend the Town hire a knowledgeable vender to take action as soon as possible, and offered OSC help to identify major infestation to target. At the Aug meeting, OSC, with input from Carl Cahill and Allen Chen, reviewed and edited two drafts: —1) a draft letter to City Manager Carl Cahill and Public Works Director Allen Chen outlining the fire and public health risks of stinkwort and explaining why spraying is the best option for control at this time (Attachment C); and —2) a draft letter to residents alerting them that the Town will be using herbicide (Attachment D). OSC discussed use of herbicide, which the Town no longer uses for routine roadside vegetation management. The flyer on how to manage stinkwort (Attachment E) also will be sent to residents. Both the Town and OSC generally favor avoiding herbicide use, but agreed that it is the only feasible option to control the stinkwort at this time, given the large infestations and short time before the weed flowers. Portola Valley manages stinkwort by hand-pulling, but that method is not feasible in LAH at this time. OSC will also survey roadsides and pathways and prepare a map for Public Works showing potential target infestations. WW moved that OSC approve the two letters to Carl Cahill and Allen Chen as recommend the Town hire a knowledgeable professional vendor to reduce stinkwort on roadsides, pathways, fire roads, and Town-owned open space and recreational properties. This should be done as soon as possible. OSC can help identify major infestations to target and possible vendors and would like to work with the vendor. JS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, RC, NC, KG, AS, SS, JS, SW). F. Site Development & Fast Track Review Meetings. OSC members were reminded to volunteer to attend these important planning meetings (held Tuesdays at 10 am) to provide input on potential impact of proposed development projects on creeks, trees, and other conservation resources. Open Discussion. A. Council Discussion on Committee Member Term Limits. At the July 20, 2017 Council meeting, Council proposed to limit terms for all volunteers on standing committees to two four-year terms. They continued this topic until the August meeting, as well as consideration of re-appointment of several members seeking re-appointment to committees (including OSC member WW). 6. Communications from the Floor. None. 7. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 11:15 am. Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, September 14, 2017 9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building Attachment A: Memo on Byre Fire to Carl Cahill, Allen Chen, and Jacob Asfour Attachment B: CalFire educational flyers on reducing fire risk Attachment C: DRAFT Letter to Carl Cahill and Allen Chen about Need for Stinkwort Management Attachment D: DRAFT Letter to LAH Residents about Need to Use Herbicide for Stinkwort Management Attachment E: Stinkwort Management Flyer for Residents FINAL minutes approved as amended (red text) at the Regular Open Space Committee meeting of Sep 14, 2017. Attachment_A_OSC_17‐0810_Byrne _Fire_Memo.docx           9/13/17  ________________________________________________________________________ To: Allen Chen, LAH Public Works Director/City Engineer Jacob Asfour, LAH Maintenance Supervisor Carl Cahill, LAH City Manager Date: July 28, 2017 Subject: Byrne Preserve Fire From: LAH Open Space Committee Byrne Preserve Subcommittee Kit Gordon, Nancy Couperus, Sue Welch ________________________________________________________________________ On July 21, 2017 at around 3:30 pm, a spark from a tractor mowing for yellow star thistle  control started a fire in Byrne Preserve. Five acres of dried annual grasses and weeds  burned. Fortunately, perennial native scrubs and trees contain enough moisture at this  time of year to prevent combustion. According to the Fire Chief, no structures were  threatened, no evacuations ordered, and the fire was controlled within an hour. We are  grateful for the outstanding response of LAHCFD, CalFire, and the other units who  contained this fire so quickly.   We are sending this short memo to let you know OSC is concerned about this incident and  wants to work with the Town, LAHCFD, and others to reduce the risk of future fires in the  preserve. These preliminary observations, comments, and suggestions will be followed by a  more detailed document after our August 10, 2017 OSC meeting. We look forward to  working with you further on this.  1:  Find a new mowing vendor and develop a firesafe protocol  OSC members can consult with contacts at MROSD, SCC Parks and other land managers to  help identify a knowledgeable mowing vendor with experience mowing open space. After  years of reliable service, changes in personnel at the current mowing vendor have led to  problems with scheduling, following instructions for mowing locations, and other issues.     We also recommend the Town adopt a fire‐safe mowing protocol for the preserve that all  mowers must follow. OSC members will review published guidelines (e.g., CalFire mowing  guide), options for spotters (e.g., fire crew?), and can consult with our contacts at MROSD,  SCC Parks and other land managers to help develop a safer protocol.    2:  Consider additional emergency access gates to Byrne Preserve  The SCCFD responders used the vehicle access gate off Altamont at the south end of the  grassland, but some other units arriving later from distant locations who are unfamiliar  with the area apparently drove into the WWCB and were unable to enter the preserve from  there. We recommend working with LAHCFD to determine whether additional vehicle  gates to Byrne would be helpful and if so, the best locations.     Attachment_A_OSC_17‐0810_Byrne _Fire_Memo.docx           9/13/17  3:  Consider evaluating fire fuel load in Byrne Preserve and methods to reduce it  The area where the fire occurred had been mowed in two previous years to control for  mustard, yellow star thistle, and other invasives. Acterra/Grassroots groups also hand‐ pulled a large volume of milk thistle on that slope and a large patch of stinkwort that  extended across the path at the bottom of the slope. As a result, the fuel load on this slope  was greatly reduced. The fire would have been much worse if the slope still had standing  dried stalks of milk thistle, Italian thistle, and 6‐ft tall mustard. The highly flammable  stinkwort could have easily carried the fire from the grass to the adjacent brush.   In some areas of the preserve, no mowing or invasive plant management has been done in  decades. It would be useful to have professional evaluation of the risks, and if needed to  identify methods to reduce the accumulated fuel load (e.g., mowing, brush removal,  controlled burn, or other methods). OSC can work with staff, LAHCFD, and other resources  to help with this evaluation and any proposed actions. Mowing additional areas next year  would at least reduce the standing fuel. Fuel reduction methods should be consistent with  open space preserve goals to the extent possible.  4:  Increase efforts to manage weed infestation, particularly targeting stinkwort   Weed infestions can increase fire risk. Early action on invasive plant infestation saves  money for residents and the Town, reduces fire risk, improves Town aesthetics, and  protects property values. OSC should work with the City Manager to devise options for this  effort.  Stinkwort has invaded many roadsides, pathways, Town properties and neglected private  properties. This highly flammable, highly invasive plant should be managed before it sets  seed in August and September. Target locations of stinkwort invasion can be provided by  OSC and by soliciting input from Nextdoor or Los Altos Hills Connect. The OSC should work  with the City Manager to plan an appropriate strategy.  5:  Include fire prevention in the OSC charter  Invasive weed reduction and fire prevention go hand in hand. We will propose to the OSC  to consider incorporating fire prevention more closely into open space management  recommendations.  6:  Educate residents and vendors on fire safety  We recommend the Town send information to residents and vendors early each summer  reminding them about fire safety and equipment use. Fire safety guidelines from the fire  district are attached.           Are You doing the right thing, the wrong way? Are you doing the right thing the wrong way -for example, trying to eliminate the ﬁre hazards around your home and in the process starting a wildland ﬁre? Each year CAL FIRE responds to more than 1,600 ﬁres started by Californians using equip- ment the wrong way. Whether working to create a defensible space around your home, just mowing the lawn, or pulling your dirt bike over to the side of the road, if you live in a wildland area you need to use all equipment responsibly. Lawn mowers, weedeaters, chain saws, grinders, welders, tractors, and trimmers can all spark a wildland ﬁre. Do your part, the right way, to keep your community ﬁre safe. Here’s how to do it the Right Way: Do all yard maintenance that requires a gas or electrical motor before 10 a.m. ▪ Not in the heat of the day, or when the wind is blowing! Lawn mowers are designed to mow lawns. ▪Never use lawn mowers in dry vegetation. Use a weed trimmer to cut down dry weeds and grass. ▪ Remove rocks in the area before you begin operating any equipment. A rock ▪ hidden in grass or weeds is enough to start a ﬁre when struck by a metal blade. In wildland areas, spark arresters are required on all portable gasoline powered ▪ equipment including tractors, harvesters, chain saws, weedeaters, mowers, motorcycles, and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). Keep the exhaust system, spark arresters and mower in proper working order ▪ and free of carbon buildup. Use the recommended grade of fuel and don’t top o. Keep the engine free of oil and dust, and keep the mower free of ▪ ﬂammable materials. In wildland areas, a permit may be required for grinding and ▪ welding operations, and spark shields may be required on equipment. Be sure to have 10 feet of clearance, a 46”round point shovel, and a backpump water-type ﬁre extinguisher ready to use. Hot exhaust pipes and muers can start ﬁres you ▪ won’t even see, until it’s too late! Don’t pull o into dry grass or brush. Keep a cell phone nearby and call 911 ▪ immediately in case of a ﬁre. www.ﬁre.ca.govEquipment UseEquipment Use Safety F I R E S A F E M O W I N G G U I D E P r e p a r a t i on :  Prior to starting mowing operations inspect all equipment.  Make sure the exhaust system, spark arrestor or turbocharger, and mower are in proper working order and free of carbon buildup.  Keep the mower free of flammable materials. Check the grass outlet around any blades and around any shrouds, covers, and heat shields. Keep the engine and radiator free of oil and dust.  Use the recommended grade of fuel and do not top off.  Flail mower chains and blades should be set high enough to avoid sparks from rock strikes and contact with debris.  Inspect safety devices and equipment to insure that they are serviceable  Including but not limited to: portable radios, shovels (46” round point shovel), water fire extinguishers (minimum 5 gallons), weather kits (belt weather kit, or Kestrel type), and personnel protective equipment. O p e r a t io n a l P r o c e d u r e :  As a minimum recommendation an employee in a pickup 4X4 (vehicle having off road capabilities)  With a backpack pump type water fire extinguisher  A round point shovel and a two way radio shall be assigned with each mowing operation.  A person to serve as a look out and to monitor weather conditions. The employee must be able to maintain visual contact with mowing operations at all times and be trained in using the firefighting equipment on the vehicle.  If the height of the vegetation requires that a worker scout the ground ahead of the mower then a separate person should be assigned to perform that function.  Prior to starting mowing operations fire weather observations must be checked and continuously monitored at the site to insure safe conditions for mowing.  Use the following guidelines as a “Go, No Go” check prior to mowing:  When the ambient air temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit  and the relative humidity is at 30 percent or lower  and wind speeds reach 10 mph or higher  Operations should not start. If these conditions occur during mowing all operations should cease immediately. O p e r a t io n a l P r o c e d u r e :  When fueling equipment allow it to cool in an area where there is no flammable vegetation that can be ignited by the hot exhaust, Preferably in a dirt area.  Plan your operations where areas of greatest risk are mowed early in the day to minimize the chance of ignition and spread of wild fire. Start all mowing from a safe “anchor point” where a fire started from mowing burns downwind, away from the mower and uncut vegetation.  When fire danger is “High” or when mowing operations extend beyond the noon hour the operation must be accompanied by a water tender capable of providing initial fire suppression. F i r e S a f e t y : If a fire starts d o n ot attempt to suppress it unless it is small and it is safe to do so. Call 911 immediately and report the location and size of the fire and route in. Always insure the safety of personnel and the motoring public. Assist fire and law enforcement agencies as appropriate within policy. For additional information including spark arrestor guidelines go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/programs/fire/spark_arrester_guides/ 9/13/17  ________________________________________________________________________________________________  TO: Carl Cahill, LAH City Manager   Allen Chen, LAH Director of Engineering and Public Works  FROM: Kit Gordon, LAH Open Space Committee Co‐Chair  DATE: August 14, 2017  SUBJECT: Spot Spraying Stinkwort on Roadsides, Pathways, and Other Locations  ________________________________________________________________________________________________  The Open Space Committee (OSC) recommends the Town hire a knowledgeable  professional vendor to selectively spot spray herbicide to reduce stinkwort on selected  roadsides, pathways, fire roads, and Townowned open space and recreational  properties. OSC recommends this be done as soon as is practical. OSC can help identify  infestations to target and provide any additional help you request.  The OSC greatly appreciates your commitment to tackling this highly invasive weed. It is a  major problem and will continue to proliferate if not addressed.  Stinkwort (Dittrichia  graveolens) is not only unsightly, but creates a fire hazard as the plants add fuel load and have  a highly flammable resin. This plant is also a public health hazard because the resin can cause  headaches and rash.    OSC discussed this topic at July 20 and August 10, 2017 meetings and voted unanimously to  carry out this action. OSC fully supports the Town’s practice to use mowing rather than  herbicide to control weeds on roadsides and pathways. However, in this exceptional situation‐ ‐‐with wide infestation and late in the season ‐‐‐‐herbicide is the only practical method for  control. The plants re‐grow after mowing and hand pulling is not feasible.     Herbicide will be applied by trained, certified professionals in accordance with EPA  guidelines. Herbicide risks can be reduced by 1) targeting limited areas; 2) spot spraying  plants (i.e., not blanket spraying entire roadsides); 3) avoiding spraying near waterways; and  4) using an herbicide approved by the County and that is safe for aquatic life.     Ideally residents should be informed of spray areas. The attached draft letter would alert  residents to planned spraying and allow them to "opt out" from spraying on their road  frontage. A blue dye can be added to the herbicide to mark areas that have been sprayed.  Setting up this protocol may not be possible this year because of time constraints.     Because stinkwort will start to flower within a few weeks, spraying should be done as soon as  is practical.  OSC can provide a map of target areas and any other help needed. Thank you for  meeting with the OSC yesterday to discuss this and thank you again for taking action to  control this highly invasive plant.    Regards,  Kit Gordon  Chair, LAH Open Space Committee    Cc: Gary Waldeck, Mayor of Los Altos Hills   Roger Spreen, Council Liaison to Open Space Committee   Nancy Couperus, Co‐Chair, Open Space Committee  Attachment_D_Herbicide_Resident_letter.docx                      9/13/17  TO:   Los Altos Hills Residents  FROM: LAH Department of Public Works  DATE: August 10, 2017  This letter is to inform you that the Town has hired a professional pest control vendor to  spot spray herbicide on stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens) in the Town this month. This  action is in response to the rapid spread of this highly invasive pest plant throughout the  Town and complaints from residents about stinkwort on roadsides and pathways.  Stinkwort creates a fire risk as the plants not only add fuel load but have a highly  flammable resin. This plant is also a public health hazard because the resin can cause  headaches and rash.  Although mowing is the Town’s preferred method to control weeds on roadsides and  pathways —herbicide has not been used since 200X— stinkwort re‐grows after mowing.  The Town mows roadside vegetation to reduce fire risk and improve sight‐distance for  motorists. Pathways are kept clear for user safety and convenience.  The Town recognizes possible concerns about use of herbicides and is committed to  using them only in limited circumstances under strictly controlled conditions when  mowing is not effective. To minimize risk:  • Herbicide application will be limited to selected roadsides and pathways. A map  identifying these areas will be posted at Town Hall. Spot spraying of individual plants  will be used to the extent possible.  • A formulation of herbicide that is safe to use in creek areas will be used; the mix will  contain a blue dye to identify where it is sprayed.  • Herbicide will be applied only by trained professionals under direct supervision of a  certified Pest Control Advisor and in accordance with EPA guidelines.  • Homeowners may post a “DO NOT SPRAY” sign on their road frontage if they do not  want it sprayed and are committed to removing any stinkwort themselves.   • Homeowners can sign up for email notification of herbicide application schedule at   [email address]  RESIDENTS SHOULD REMOVE STINKWORT FROM THEIR PROPERTY   Homeowners are strongly encouraged to remove all stinkwort from their property and  road frontage. This highly invasive pest plant will go to seed within a few weeks and if not  removed, will produce seed and a larger crop next year— creating additional work and  expense for you and your neighbors.   The attached flyer provides additional information about stinkwort and how to remove it.  QUESTIONS: If you have questions please call or email the LAH Department of Public  Works at 650‐XXX‐1234  Highly Invasive Species: Stinkwort, Dittrichia graveolens Best practice management technique: Hand pulling or herbicide, prioritizing isolated plants before flowering; remove root otherwise plants can re-sprout. Disposal: If no flowers are present, pile it on the ground to compost. If flowers have formed, seeds can still mature after the plant is pulled, so bag for disposal. IMPORTANT: Foliage has sticky hairs covered in strong-smelling resin that can cause headaches and rash. Wear gloves, long pants and long sleeves to protect your skin. Many people develop a rash from contact with this plant. Life cycle: Annual; seed bank can survive 2-3 years Timing for removal: April – Sept. Start pulling plants as soon as they emerge in spring. Plant origin: Native to Southern Europe. First reported in Milpitas CA in the mid-1980s Interesting facts: Flammable weed that increases fire risk; Stinkwort near vineyards may affect the taste of grapes; flowers from late August to December; relatively shallow root system; most often found in disturbed areas (e.g., road edges, construction sites, mowed or disked fields, tilled land, overgrazed areas, neglected properties).