JBLM Works To Root Out Invasive, Noxious Weed

LAKEWOOD, WA — Joint Base Lewis-McChord is sounding the alarm after confirming the appearance of an invasive plant that just moved in to one of JBLM's training areas.

The base says they've long had to deal with invasive plants like scotch broom and blackberries, but this new plant — Brachypodium sylvaticum, also known as false brome — is something else.

“This is possibly the most invasive plant ever introduced to Washington state and will form pure stands – displacing all other vegetation if not eradicated,” said Bruce McDonald, a JBLM forester with the Environmental Division, Directorate of Public Works. “It occurs in open meadows, prairies, oak woodlands and any forest type – both coniferous and deciduous.”

False brome is a perennial bunch grass native to Eurasia and North Africa and which is particularly hardy: it is both shade-tolerant and drought resistant, and can quickly bounce back from wildfires.

The Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board lists false brome as a "Class A" noxious weed, describing it as a "fast-spreading, invasive grass that displaces native flora". According to JBLM, the weed first made its way west in 1939, when it took root in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Since then, it is estimated to have taken over 10,000+ acres of meadows and oak woodlands nearby, the base said.

To keep a similar infestation from taking hold at JBLM, the base is pulling out all the stops, dispatching teams to survey infected areas, cut off seed heads and deploy herbicide where necessary.

Places where false brome has been spotted may also be quarantined. False brome seeds can hitch a ride on shoes, animal pelts, even car tires, so areas with confirmed infections may be off-limits until the plants can be dealt with.

“The best way to not spread false brome is to stay out of known areas that have infestations,” McDonald said. “If a person or animal is going through known locations of false brome, it is best to clean off your boots or hooves before going to another area.”

Meanwhile, neighbors are asked to keep an eye out for false brome while they're out and about. The Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board describes it as a "loosely tufted grass with upright stems" with hair on its leaves.