10/30/06 Knappweed

I see it nearly everywhere I ride, it is invasive, destructive and it's presence makes me ill . It's knapweed. Despite what many good environmentalists naively believe all the hand pulling in the world is just not going to get rid of it. Invasive pest scientists and extension department are diligently researching new methods to irradiate nasty knap the latest, now dubbed 'dip and clip." Dip and Clip is currently being tested in the environmentally sensitive Lake Tahoe area region that historically has been reluctant to allow any herbicides application for noxious weed control. The dip and clip method initially appears as labor intensive as hand pulling as it requires the applicator to clip the knapweed down to the base and apply herbicides on the remaining stems. This is followed up the following year with even smaller herbicide application on plants that survived the first dosing until native species again gain a foothold. Dip and clip will never work in the remote wilderness but in areas easily accessed by the public it could prove a viable solution.