Volunteers needed to help remove invasive Scotch broom in April

A community Scotch broom removal event will take place at 10 a.m. on April 25 on the Baker Field trails, with volunteers meeting in the parking lot on Benson Road.

Led by Bronwyn Glor of the Point Roberts Park and Recreation District, the event is open to anyone interested in helping improve local park land. 

Participants should wear gloves and bring tools such as hand clippers, loppers or chainsaws if they have them, though some equipment, including weed wrenches, will be available. 

Volunteers can pull smaller plants, cut larger ones or carry debris to a dumpster. 

Glor said the effort is environmental- and community-driven, noting that “there’s work for everybody.”

Scotch broom is a fast-spreading invasive plant common across the West Coast and can crowd out native vegetation and create fire hazards. 

It produces large numbers of seeds that can remain in the soil for a decade or more, meaning removal is an ongoing process rather than a one-time fix. Spring is an ideal time to tackle the plant because it is easier to identify once it begins to bud and its bright yellow flowers open, and removing it before seeds develop helps reduce growth.