Giant Hogweed Confirmed in Butler County, PA

Noxious Weed Found in Forward Township, Evans City

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture is warning residents of Forward Township in Evans City, Butler
County, that Giant Hogweed, a noxious and invasive weed that can cause
blistering and scarring on the skin of susceptible people, has been confirmed
in their area.

Located along the Pittsburgh/Buffalo railroad tracks at the intersection of
Spithaler School and Ash Stop roads, and at the intersection of the tracks and
Ash Stop Road, the area with Giant Hogweed has been identified and marked with
Department of Agriculture signage.

Citizens with suspected sightings of the plant are asked to call the Giant
Hogweed Hotline at 1-877-464-9333. Brochures to aide in identification are
available at the Forward Township Municipality Building or online at
www.agriculture.state.pa.us under "Plant and Animal Health."

"Thanks to a tip on the Giant Hogweed Hotline, the department was able to
quickly and accurately identify the infestation," said Agriculture Secretary
Dennis Wolff. "We encourage local residents to stay away from the infested
area as treatment continues, and to report any new sightings so we can act
swiftly to stop the spread of the weed."

Department of Agriculture field staff developed a control program for these
areas and treated the plants with an herbicide. Staff will be available to
visit with property owners to identify suspected plants present on their land.

Giant Hogweed is spread naturally by seeds, which can be windblown and
scattered or carried by water. Because of the close proximity to the railroad
tracks, agriculture staff believes the seed heads were carried and dispersed
by passing trains, and possibly through a nearby landscape plant dumping site.

In 1999, Giant Hogweed was discovered about 14 miles west of Evans City in
Fombell, Beaver County. Property owners with land adjacent to the railroad
tracks between Fombell and Forward Township's Reibold Road, including along
the northern and southern track spurs that connect to the main railroad track
in Forward Township, are encouraged to learn how to identify the poisonous
plant.

This invasive weed spreads rapidly once established in the area between land
and a stream, making prevention of seed production critical to limiting the
spread into Forward Township's nearby Connoquenessing stream.

Agriculture department staff will continue to monitor the sites in Beaver and
Butler counties during the next several weeks and continue to treat any new
plants that may have emerged.

Since 1985, 477 Giant Hogweed sites have been confirmed in Pennsylvania. Since
then 203 sites have been eradicated, leaving 274 active sites across the
state.

As the regulatory agency for the treatment of Giant Hogweed, the Department of
Agriculture has been supported by the Governor's Invasive Species Council of
Pennsylvania, an inter-agency council created by Governor Edward G. Rendell in
2004 to help develop and implement invasive species management plans for the
commonwealth.

For more information on Giant Hogweed and other noxious weeds in Pennsylvania,
visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and click on "Animal and Plant Health," or
call 717-787-7204.
CONTACT: Jean Kummer, (717) 787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Jean Kummer of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, +1-717-787-5085