DOES THE DEPARTMENT SPRAY NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AS WELL AS NON-NATIVE PECIES?
Native plants are not targeted for control unless they have become noxious. Under the maintenance control program, even small patches of floating noxious weeds are sprayed. Sometimes they are mixed in with native plants which unintentionally get sprayed while trying to control the exotics. Herbicides formulations are used that will kill the non-native species, but will only temporarily “brown” the natives. Spray crews are directed to minimize, as much as possible, exposure of herbicides to native plants. However, weather and water conditions do sometimes change unexpectedly and lead to an adverse and unintended impact on some native plants. Also, the natural browning of plants due to seasonal change, and damage caused by insects or disease, is also sometimes confused with the effects of the herbicides on aquatic plants.
