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Vegetation Management Program

Primary Objectives

The primary objectives in maintenance of roadside vegetation within Whatcom County's Maintenance Area are:

Safety of the traveling public.
Preservation of the road infrastructure.
Control of legally designated noxious weeds where they occur on the right of way.
Protection and preservation of natural environment.
Preservation and enhancement of the natural scenic quality of the roadside.
Being a Good Neighbor to the many adjoining property owners.

CLICK HERE to view the Whatcom County Integrated Roadside Management Plan.

Mowing

Mechanical brush cutting.
Roadside shoulder mowing during late spring and summer.
1900 lane miles of maintained shoulder, mowed approximately 5 times during the summer.

Brush Cutting Season

Fall, winter, and early spring are brush cutting seasons.
Mowers chop and cut the heavy brush along the right-of-way.
Ditches and back slopes are brushed, trees limbed and trimmed as needed.
Program addresses "hazard trees" in and next to the right-of-ways for public safety.

Herbicide Program

Our crew is staffed with two state certified applicators.
The strip next to the pavement is treated for erosion control of the road surface by preventing encroachment of grasses and weeds.
Low-growing brush and noxious weeds are treated without removing the grass, which serves as a filter for road surface water runoff.
The dormant brush winter program keeps small trees and blackberries back from the road edge.
Applications also include signpost treatment, guardrail treatment, and noxious weeds.