SAVE THE DATE

March 2, 2025

9:00 - 12:00

Annual Portola Valley Town Broom Pull

Sponsored by the Portola Valley Conservation Committee

Please join the Portola Valley Conservation Committee and community volunteers removing this invasive and flammable weed from public right-of-ways and lands.

Meet at 9:00 AM at the Historic Schoolhouse

Bring friends, neighbors and kids – it’s a fun way to contribute a little muscle power and tackle this problem as a team; Community service hours are provided for this activity.

Broom does not only grow in the right-of-way. Check your yard and get rid of it now, while the soil is wet and removal is easy. Once the soil is hard, root removal is next to impossible.

Please bring water and gloves and wear long sleeves and close-toed shoes

We will provide tools and refreshments

Did you know that Broom is:

• Highly invasive and flammable
• One mature plant can produce 10,000 seeds per season
• Seed pods can burst with enough force to fling seeds many feet away
• Poisonous to large domestic animals and makes pastures impenetrable
• It re-sprouts from the roots (pull it out by the roots, when the soil is wet; a weed wrench might be needed for mature plants.)

When in bloom, the yellow flowers may look and smell pretty, but French Broom is one of our nastiest invasive local shrubs. It spreads quickly, choking out both natives and other desirable plants and it is very flammable. It is especially a problem in our Open Space Preserves as the wind can carry seed pods a long way. For questions email conservation@portolavalley.net