Cowlitz County, WA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- CCC § 19.15.070(G)(1), Critical Areas exemptions
- Named species
- English ivy, Himalayan/evergreen blackberry, 3 knotweeds
- Removal method
- Hand labor and low-impact equipment only
- Aquatic herbicide
- EPA-approved products, certified applicator only
- Related program
- Cowlitz County Weed Control Board, CCC Ch. 6.20
- Assessment lien interest
- 12% per year on unpaid weed-control assessments
Summary
Cowlitz County's critical areas code names six invasive plants that landowners may hand-remove from wetland and stream buffers without a critical areas permit under CCC § 19.15.070(G)(1): English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, evergreen blackberry, giant knotweed, Himalayan knotweed, and Japanese knotweed. This section is a removal exemption inside critical areas, not a countywide possession ban.
G. The following vegetation removal activities: 1. The removal with hand labor and low-impact equipment of any invasive vegetation designated by the Cowlitz County Weed Control Board and in addition: English ivy (Hedera helix); Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus); evergreen blackberry (Rubus laciniatus); giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinense); Himalayan knotweed (Polygonum polystachyum); and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum). a. All removed plant material shall be taken away from the site and appropriately disposed of; plants that appear on the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board list of noxious weeds must be handled and disposed of according to a noxious weed control plan appropriate to that species.
Full Breakdown
060 otherwise requires a critical areas permit for clearing or disturbing vegetation. 070(G)(1) exempts hand removal, using hand labor and low-impact equipment only, of invasive vegetation designated by the Cowlitz County Weed Control Board and specifically names English ivy (Hedera helix), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), evergreen blackberry (Rubus laciniatus), giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinense), Himalayan knotweed (Polygonum polystachyum), and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum). Removed plant material must be hauled off site and disposed of properly, and any species that also appears on the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board list must be handled and disposed of under a noxious weed control plan for that species.
S. Environmental Protection Agency for aquatic use may be applied, and only by a certified applicator, or someone under a certified applicator's direct supervision, permitted under the Department of Ecology's noxious weed control permit. Revegetation with native species at natural densities is allowed and encouraged after removal. 15.
Violations & Fines
Removing invasive vegetation from a critical area or buffer outside the hand-labor and low-impact-equipment method described, or without following the disposal and herbicide rules, forfeits the exemption and requires a critical areas permit under CCC § 19.15.060; unpermitted work is enforced as a civil infraction and public nuisance under CCC § 2.06.040 and can also be charged as a misdemeanor under the general penalty section, CCC § 1.01.090, with a fine of up to $250, up to 90 days in county jail, or both. Separately, unpaid noxious weed control assessments become a lien against the property under CCC § 6.20.060, collected like delinquent property tax and bearing 12 percent annual interest from the date notice of the lien is sent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove Himalayan blackberry from my property near a stream without a permit?
What plants does this Cowlitz County exemption cover?
Can I spray herbicide on invasive plants in a wetland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cowlitz County
Compare Cowlitz County to another location·View the Washington invasive plant rules overview
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