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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2015)
14A • April 24, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Scotch broom removal is a Sisyphean task “We’re trying to stay ahead of it,” he said. “We don’t want the seeds to spread.” By Erick Bengel dgrass, a Chapman Point Even after spreading, Cannon Beach Gazette homeowner. Scotch broom seeds can +H¿JXUHVWKDWWKHQHZ lie dormant for many years It takes trained eyes and record is the result of the — 50 or more, McQuhae hours of tedious physical thorough work he and his said — before they germi- labor to prevent Scotch team did last year, their nate, so landscapers may broom — the invasive Eu- ¿UVWVKRWDWWKHSURMHFW%H- not know until years after ropean shrub that sprouts IRUH0D\KHZLOOGRD¿QDO D SURMHFW KRZ ZHOO WKH\ JROGHQ\HOORZÀRZHUVDQG walk-through of the area. did, Snodgrass said. produces thousands of ‘Like wildfire’ seeds — from overrunning Staying ahead of it If keeping Scotch When the homeowners the sand dunes west of EURRP LQ FKHFN ZDV MXVW association began the an- Chapman Point. But, during the last 13 a matter of spotting the nual Scotch broom main- years, the Chapman Point bright yellow blooms and tenance program back in Homeowners Association plucking the shrub from 2003, the Scotch broom in has hired local contractors the earth, then that would the affected area was huge, “standing 10 feet or so,” to scale back the noxious, be one thing. But, because landscap- said McQuhae, who or- colonizing species to a level that is increasing- ers want to pull the broom ganizes the Scotch broom ly manageable from year before the plants blossom eradication and thereby to year, according to Ken and scatter their seeds — earned the nickname “The McQuhae, a Chapman which usually happens in Broom Master.” The trail from the Chap- Point homeowner. For a mid summer — many of time, McQuhae himself the targeted plants are still man Point subdivision to pulled out the plants with relatively small, green and the beach was basically a the help of a paid assistant. blend into their environ- tunnel through the broom’s Earlier this month, Da- ment. woody foliage, he said. vid Snodgrass, president ³:KHQ LW¶V ÀRZHULQJ “It’s a shrub that will and co-owner of Dennis’ 7 it’s easy, but they’re not mature into something Dees Landscaping & Gar- DOZD\V ÀRZHULQJ DOO DW more than a shrub,” said den Centers, and his three- the same time,” Snodgrass Snodgrass, also a Chap- man crew took their shov- said. “So you really need man Point homeowner. “It els out to the dunes and to be able to see the little can really get big if let go spent approximately 100 foliage amongst the dune unchecked.” hours uprooting the Scotch grass.” Scotch broom, which broom from the sandy soil What’s more, the can be seen all along the and hauling it away. They Scotch broom, which elk Oregon Coast from U.S. also scoured strips of land like to munch on, is com- Highway 101, is “extreme- on the east side of Oak peting with at least 100 ly aggressive, and it will Street. different types of vegeta- MXVWFURZGHYHU\WKLQJHOVH The four men — Sno- tion, he said. out,” Lawson said. dgrass; Dave Santos, the “You don’t really see Once the plant takes landscape foreman; and it until you get right up root in an area, “it spreads Miles Lawson and Ryan on it,” said Santos, who OLNH ZLOG¿UH´ 6QRGJUDVV (last name withheld), both ZRUNHGRQWKHSURMHFWODVW said. “If we let it go for a new crew members — year. couple of years, it would covered about 21 acres of However, winter on the again get out of hand.” affected area, from Chap- North Coast was so mild Last year, Snodgrass man Point to the Breakers this year that “the plants thought he and his crew got Point subdivision bound- are about six weeks ahead rid of it all, but “it fooled ary. of where they would be me,” he said. “You need to In all the years of annu- in a difficult year,” Sno- stay after this, ongoing, to al Scotch broom removal, dgrass said, so the 7 Dees interrupt that natural pro- this is the quickest Chap- crew did their work a few gression of new plants.” man Point has been able weeks earlier than nor- Though his task is Si- WR¿QLVKWKHMREVDLG6QR- mal. syphean, Snodgrass takes David Snodgrass and his crew work to contain invasive species ERICK BENGEL PHOTO Miles Lawson, a crew member with Dennis’ 7 Dees in Seaside, uses a shovel to uproot Scotch broom growing west of Chapman Point. In Newport, Ore., he pulled invasive spe- cies, including Scotch broom, for a community action agency. pride in protecting Chap- man Point’s oceanfront vista. “I definitely get a VHQVH RI HQMR\PHQW DQG satisfaction out of doing it,” he said. “I’m hoping that the neighborhood and the tourists all appreciate the efforts that are being done here, because it re- ally does benefit every- body.” If the Chapman Point Homeowners Association will have him back, Sno- dgrass plans to take up WKH MRE DJDLQ QH[W \HDU “So I may be ‘The Broom Master’ at some point,” he said, smiling. SPRING NG UNVEIL T I IVAL ART FE o S sweet! is s rt r Candy A u o t u o k c vid Please che ork of Da w e th y b play at inspired hall on dis s r a M n a y Jonath illa Galler Modern V TWO LOCATIONS Cannon Beach & Seaside Outlet Mall! Cannon Beach • Seaside Outlet Mall 503-436-2641 • 503-738-7828 •www.brucescandy.com • Proud Sponsor of the Spring Unveiling Art Festival • Stand up to heart disease. 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