Partners
- Curry Soil and Water Conservation District (Curry SWCD)
- Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD)
- Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Target Species
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
Control Methods
Chemical (25% Garlon 4 and 75% penetrating oil)
Project Details
The Curry SWCD has been working with OPRD on gorse removal at Harris Beach State Park since 2011. By 2019, most of the gorse had been eradicated and/or was being managed through routine herbicide treatments. However, one area in the middle of the park remained heavily infested: the slopes of the large, rocky Harris Butte were too steep and dangerous for traditional control methods. Gorse control here would require some creative solutions…
In 2019, Curry SWCD and OPRD worked out a plan with ODOT to hire a rock scaling contractor (someone already trained in repelling for hand removal of loose rock on steep slopes and cliff faces) to climb the cliffs and apply herbicide to the areas that were otherwise inaccessible to hand crews. OPRD led a large-scale outreach campaign six weeks before the work began so that community members and park visitors understood the project (and why the park’s day use area would need to be closed for two weeks). Rappellers completed the work in just nine days, all went according to plan, and follow-up monitoring will take place in the years ahead.
Gorse is a species of high concern on the South Coast. For info on how to identify, report, and remove this plant, please visit _____.
