Work Continues to Eradicate Giant Hogweed in Pennsylvania

Potter County 'Hunt' Shows Decrease in Plants

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's Giant
Hogweed Eradication Program is proving successful in eliminating the noxious
and invasive weed that can cause skin blistering and scarring on susceptible
people, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said today.

"Efforts to remove Giant Hogweed in Pennsylvania are moving forward thanks to
the hard work of the crews who locate and treat the noxious weed," said Wolff.
"As treatment continues, we encourage local residents to stay away from
infested areas, and to report any suspected sightings."

The Department of Agriculture's noxious weed program staff teamed with Penn
State University for an annual Giant Hogweed "hunt" along Little Kettle Creek,
Potter County, near Carter Camp. The group surveyed six miles of infested
stream banks from Zoerb Hollow Road to Ole Bull State Park.

This summer, the staff continues to visit, inspect and treat any Giant Hogweed
found at existing sites in Potter and McKean counties and in western
Pennsylvania.

Staff will also verify sightings reported to the toll-free Giant Hogweed
hotline at 1-877-464-9333. If confirmed, the sites will be added to next
summer's treatment program.

Summer is the best time to identify Giant Hogweed, when the plants are in
bloom with white clustered flowers more than two feet wide. The stems are two
to four inches in diameter and are eight to 14 feet tall with purple blotches
and coarse white hairs. The leaves are lobed, or segmented, and can grow to
five feet across.

Since 1985, 477 Giant Hogweed sites have been confirmed in Pennsylvania. To
date, 203 of these sites have been eradicated.

Giant Hogweed is spread naturally by seeds, which can be windblown and
scattered or carried by water, which makes stream banks very susceptible to
the weed.

The Department of Agriculture is the regulatory agency that treats Giant
Hogweed and other federally designated noxious weeds. The department's
programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Plant Health
Inspection Service.

Pennsylvania has also 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. Learn more about the council at
www.invasivespeciescouncil.com.

Photos of Giant Hogweed are available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us and click
on "Animal and Plant Health." For more information on this or other noxious
weeds, 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