A symposium on the invasive Japanese knotweed is planned for this month in St. Joseph. The Van Buren Conservation District’s Erin Fuller tells WSJM News the knotweed has been spreading across the west coast of Michigan, and poses a threat to some infrastructure.
“It actually is from the volcanic part of Japan, and so it’s used to growing through really hard, rocky soil,” Fuller said.
That means it can break water pipes and even grow through some pavement. The symposium planned for September 23 will feature experts who will talk about ways to prevent the spread of Japanese knotweed, and it’s intended for the public, as well as officials. The deadline to sign up is next Thursday. Just go to the events section of VanBurenCD.org, or call 657-4030, extension 5.
