Caspar Gorse Resolution

Caspar Gorse Festival

Gorse Resolution

Resolution of the Caspar Community
to County of Mendocino Commissioner of Agriculture
(with copy to California Department of Park and Recreation, Mendocino District)

Whereas: The citizens and property owners of Caspar are threatened by the rapid proliferation of non-native noxious weed, Gorse (Ulex europea), as a major fire hazard and environmental threat with exponential growth forcing out native plants.

Whereas: Gorse now heavily infests hundreds of acres bordering our community with approximately 75% of this land owned by the State of California and managed by State agencies who have been unable to control the spread of Gorse on Jug Handle State Reserve or the Caspar Headlands.

Whereas: Gorse growth is expanding and creating a seed reservoir and home base for many new infestations appearing elsewhere in the coastal community.

Whereas: Many responsible residents and property owners are becoming overwhelmed by the increasing labor and expense of trying to keep Gorse away from their homes and land.

Whereas: Gorse is highly flammable, easily ignited and nearly impossible to extinguish. Burning Gorse produces 30 foot flames with intense heat, and roots of the plant can carry fire underground. A Gorse fire burned the town of Bandon, Oregon killing eleven people and destroying 480 buildings. Gorse is expanding rapidly on both sides of busy California Highway 1 where such a disaster could be ignited in our own community.

Whereas, the Caspar Community has in regular meetings discussed the infestation of Gorse, consulted with local biologists on Gorse growth, and referred the issue of Gorse expansion for review to the Mendocino Coast Cooperative Weed Management Area, and whereas the results of these meetings, consultations and reviews have been useful and informative.

Whereas: Gorse is now ranked as a Category B Noxious Weed; and the Mendocino County Agricultural Commissioner has discretionary authority to raise its priority to Category A, thus offering various additional options in addressing this urgent problem.

Therefore: The Caspar Community requests the Commissioner of Agriculture use discretionary authority to manage Gorse as a Category A Noxious Weed and bring resources of the Commissioner's office, to our aid and assistance to contain and eradicate this infestation.