2026 Invasive Forest Weed Control Field Practicum

August 29, 2026 near Woodinville

Field-based, hands-on weed control training

Is ivy pulling down your trees? Are blackberries taking over your newly planted trees? Do you have stubborn holly in your understory? Are dreaded species like knotweed, yellow archangel, spurge laurel, and Scotch broom popping up on your property? Invasive weeds inhibit the growth of, and may even kill your trees. They cause significant ecological harm by taking over ecosystems, crowding out native species, degrading wildlife habitat, and increasing erosion. Some are dangerously toxic and can cause serious injury, illness, or death. Controlling these noxious invaders is a challenging but essential task for landowners.

But how do you go about tackling these projects? Should you mow, dig, inject, spray, mulch, or send in the goats? At this hands-on field practicum, you will learn to identify and control some of the most common invasive weeds that cause economic and environmental damage in forests.

When and Where

Date and Time

This workshop will be Saturday, August 29, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location

This in-person field workshop will be held at a property in the Woodinville/Maltby area. Exact location info, including directions, will be provided upon registration.

What to Expect

Format

This practicum is completely field-based. You will learn how to use protective gear (provided), watch demonstrations, and do hands-on activities. Topics may include hand-pulling, root digging, using a weed wrench, foliar herbicides (water with dye will be used in place of actual herbicides), cut stump treatments, stem injection, and more. You will learn about safe use of herbicides, including what products to use for specific weeds, how to read a label, proper safety equipment, avoiding environmental damage, pesticide laws, tank mixing, clean-up, and storage.

Logistics

  • A restroom will be available at the field practicum
  • Please bring your own snacks and plenty of water.
  • This is an outdoor event. Please come ready for the elements. IMPORTANT: due to the nature of the activities, participants MUST wear long pants and sturdy close-toed shoes or boots. Long sleeves are also recommended. Those not properly dressed will not be permitted to participate in some of the activities for safety reasons.

Cost and Registration

  • The registration fee is $20 per individual or $30 per couple from the same household/ownership.
  • Youth under 18 may attend at no charge.
  • Pre-registration is required – registration will NOT be available on site. Space is limited and is first come, first served.
  • Registration deadline is 5:00 p.m. Thursday, August 27th.
  • Cancellation requests must be received by 5:00 p.m. August 27th, 2026, to be eligible for a refund. For online registrations, credit card processing fees are non-refundable.

Register online

Register online via Humanitix. Online registrations are subject to a non-refundable credit card processing fee. Online registration will be open until 5:00 p.m. August 27, 2026 or until the event sells out.

Register by mail

Mail-in registrations must be received by 5:00 p.m. August 27th, 2026. Download the mail-in registration form (PDF). This fillable PDF form is an accessible document. Fill it out on your computer and then print it out and mail it in with a check made out to “Washington State University Extension” to:

WSU Extension Forestry
Attn: Invasive Weed Practicum Registration
6705 Puget Park Dr
Snohomish, WA 98296

Note: to fill out the mail-in registration form, we recommend that you right-click the download button and select “Save link as” to save the PDF file, and then open it in Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader rather than viewing it within your web browser. The form functions may not work when viewed in a browser window.

Acknowledgements and Accommodations

Funding support for this program is provided by Snohomish County Surface Water Management.

Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities who contact Elsa Haun at elsa.haun@wsu.edu or 828-636-0772 prior to the workshop.

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