Broom Education and Eradication Program
Our mission is to improve the Forest Ranch Community by eradicating the invasive plant "broom," thereby reducing the fire hazard and restoring the habitat for the native plants and animals and the people that live here.
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BEEP is an active group in the community with many volunteer opportunities |
Broom in bloom |
A happy volunteer working to eradicate broom, one plant at a time |
BEEP is a Forest Ranch, California community action group that formed in 2006 to control broom infestations using a "neighbors helping neighbors" approach. Broom plants were introduced into California around 1850 as ornamental plants and for erosion control. However, broom is an exotic invasive plant now recognized as a major problem. Broom is highly volatile and acts as a ladder fuel, carrying fire into the tree canopy. And because broom spreads so rapidly, grows so dense and is toxic, it out-competes native vegetation and provides little in the way of valuable wildlife habitat.
Removal of broom is a high priority in our foothill community and we are taking action! Since our group's formation, we have provided broom education to hundreds of landowners, students and stakeholders, organized and contributed over 2500 volunteer hours, and removed over 100,000 broom plants.
Map adapted to show the BEEP work area highlighted in blue. Green = treated broom, red = untreated broom. Click for larger map.
Our winter and spring field days are a great opportunity to get to know a new area and make a positive difference. Field days are usually held on Saturday mornings
during the winter and spring, and involve using a Weed WrenchTM, hand pulling and cutting to eradicate broom. Check out our full calendar of field days on the Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance's events
calendar for more details and join us in eradicating broom.
We want to thank all those who have made BEEP such a success and we look forward to seeing you out in the watersheds!
BEEP Contact information
(530) 892-8726
forestranchbeep@yahoo.com
Speaker's Bureau
If you would like to have a speaker talk to your group (e.g., a Fire-Safe Council, private road association, community well district, neighborhood, community service organization) about broom and how to organize your group to eradicate broom in your area, please contact us.
Broom Brochure
For a copy of our Sweep Out Broom! brochure, please click here.
Broom Control
The following references cover broom control options as well as discussion about the broom plants:
Re-Vegetation Options
The following references are helpful for re-vegetation:
- Las Pilitas Nursery (excellent plant reference, but the nursery is in San Diego so make certain that your plant choices will survive in our growing zones)
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