Though the reporter mistakenly thought my daughter and I shared the same last name, she captured the spirit well, of our efforts to keep poisons out of our Laguna.

I treasure my memories of this day and the wonderful way the organizers made this hard work fun.

BTW the efforts to reduce Ludwigia with herbicide use failed. Environmentally sensitive dredging is what is needed. The "authorities" knew it then, as well as, now.

Sebastopol has been missing this kind of leadership. I plan to correct this.

In peace,

Colleen Fernald

Taking on pepperweed

Armed with scythes, machetes and clippers, 65 volunteers join first eradication effort


Ben Kane, right, of Laguna Lovers sharpens his sickle Saturday while Colleen Fernald, left, and Charlotte Fernald, 8, cut down pepperweed in the Laguna de Santa Rosa in an effort to eradicate the weed without resorting to herbicides. Several dozen volunteers turned out to work in areas near the Sebastopol Community Center.
CRISTA JEREMIASON / The Press Democrat
By SUSAN KOSTRZEWA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Sunday, May 1, 2005 at 3:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, April 30, 2005 at 9:00 p.m.

Clippers in hand and cherubic curls flying, 8-year-old Charlotte Fernald stormed into a patch of pepperweed and began snapping at stalks nearly as tall as she was.
Facts

ECOLOGICAL ERADICATION

The problem: Pepperweed is an invasive, non-native perennial that grows rapidly and crowds out native plant growth and waterfowl nesting.

The solution: As an alternative to chemical spraying, volunteers are trying to eradicate the weed at Laguna de Santa Rosa by hand.

Fernald was one of 65 enthusiastic volunteers who convened Saturday at Sebastopol's Laguna de Santa Rosa park in an effort to eradicate two acres of the invasive, non-native weed.

It was the first of two volunteer efforts meant to show that people power could be as effective as plant poison in removing pepperweed from the park. The next weed pull is set for June 5...

www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20050501/NEWS/505010328