Blog Post < Previous | Next >
Scotch Broom - Wikipedia
Hats Off To The Extractigators!
Hats off to the Extractigators! The "Extractigators" are a small group of Marin residents who are making a difference by pulling Scotch Broom, a fast-spreading weed with yellow flowers, in the San Geronimo Valley of Marin. Every Thursday, between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM, they pull the broom from small areas within their community. In just two hours, they can eliminate several thousand plants.
Marin County has about 750 acres of broom. Brooms are extremely invasive. They can change the soil chemistry; lessen biodiversity by crowding out native species; and increase fire danger due to their high flammability. Marin County and other park and open space agencies still resort to using pesticides to combat the broom problem. The Extractigators demonstrate that manual pulling and other nontoxic vegetation management tools can be effective in controlling the weeds.
Please follow the below link to view a video by Christopher Ruedy entitled; "The Extractigators", meet these inspirational volunteers, and see them at work.
Here's the link: