Community Organizations Active in Disaster
Some of you may be aware that a COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) has recently been established in Lincoln County to support and coordinate efforts related to emergency preparedness and response in Lincoln County. I (along with some of you!) am part of the Animal Evacuation & Sheltering COAD working group. The first project of this working group is to develop a roster of Lincoln County residents and businesses who can provide support to livestock owners (via livestock feeding, moving, sheltering, etc) during emergency/disaster response.
If you are interested in providing this type of help during an emergency, please fill out this survey to let us know how you're able to help: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/019e060a60e27e04b0292884d9c41d7a. Please note that this survey does not commit you to help, but gives us knowledge of who we can contact for help. The information you share in this survey will be shared with emergency management personnel and COAD collaborators, and not the general public.
Community members who fill out the survey before July 15th will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card to the farm supply store of their choosing.
~Tyler Clouse
Lincoln SWCD Executive Director
The Weed Wire: Gorse (Part 2!)
Above: Gorse overtaking the cliffside at Nelscott Beach, featured in the March 2026 Newsletter (Google Photosphere, 2016)
Below: The same area on July 7th, 2026 (Tyler Clouse, Lincoln SWCD)
In our March 2026 Newsletter, we announced the start of a new addition to the Lincoln SWCD Noxious Weeds Treatment Program: Common Gorse, or Ulex europaeus. To recap, gorse is an invasive evergreen shrub originally introduced from Bandon, Ireland by the founder of Bandon, Oregon. Hardy and dense-growing, two uses of gorse in its native range are as an ornamental and living fence. Another traditional use, thanks to the volatile oils contained within the plant, is as fire starter and fuel for ovens.
These combined traits of prolific growth and flammability led to the near-total destruction of the town of Bandon, Oregon and the death of ten of its residents on September 26, 1936, when the large patches of gorse dispersed throughout the town were set ablaze by embers drifting in from a forest fire several miles away. However, due to the intrinsic relationship between gorse and fire, the burning of these patches only increased the presence of gorse in the area, as shoots quickly regrew from burnt stumps and seeds were prompted to germinate. Indeed, gorse is what may be called a “fire-climax” plant, adapted not just to withstand wildfires, but encourage them.
It is for these reasons that news of the July 4th fire that was set by reckless fireworks discharge along Nelscott Beach did not come as a surprise to District staff. The photo featured above- used as example in our March newsletter of the worst gorse infestation present in Lincoln County- also depicts the exact area that burned this past weekend. Though no homes were damaged before firefighters intervened on the night of the Fourth, it is certain that the Nelscott gorse infestation will be back with a vengeance. For this reason, Lincoln SWCD will be conducting targeted outreach to property owners adjacent to the infestation in effort to coordinate treatment. We also urge ANY landowners in the county who believe gorse to be present on their property to CONTACT US at (541) 265-2631 or info@lincolnswcd.org.
-The information below has been re-printed from our March 2026 Weeds Wire-
History and Native Range: Ulex europaeus, originally native to western Europe, is a flowering evergreen shrub closely resembling and related to Scotch broom- the main difference in appearance being the extreme thorniness of all members of the gorse genus. Due to both its prolific flower production and the aforementioned thorniness, gorse has long been used within its native range as a living fence. In the present day, gorse has been introduced to North America (particularly Oregon and California) as well as South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Sri Lanka, and the Falkland Islands.
Identification: As previously stated, gorse strongly resembles the similarly invasive Scotch broom, with the exception of mature gorse plants producing sharp spines instead of leaves; gorse seedlings, however, produce normal leaves that resemble clover for the first few months after germinating.
Gorse blooms and needles
The Problem Here: Gorse, being extremely hardy and fast-growing, easily overtakes most areas it is introduced to, pushing out native plants along the way. It is also highly flammable. These two factors combined pose serious concerns for communities where gorse becomes heavily established. In fact, the initial introduction of gorse to the West Coast eventually led to the near-complete destruction of the town of Bandon in 1936. The town’s founder, in homage to his birthplace, named the seaside community after his hometown of Bandon, Ireland, and brought with him a plant known as Irish hedge- aka gorse. Between 1852 and 1936 “Irish hedge” spread unchecked, until one day sparks from a forest fire several miles from town were blown into a gorse patch. Flammable oils in the plant greatly accelerated the fire, destroying most of the town’s buildings and killing ten of its residents. However, as fire is an intrinsic part of gorse ecology, the plant’s population soon recovered and persists in large numbers to this day.
Due to both the immense safety risk posed by uncontrolled gorse and the threat posed to sensitive coastal species such as the Oregon silverspot butterfly, hoary elfin butterfly, snowy plover, and pink sand verbena, Lincoln SWCD has undertaken a new gorse control program within Lincoln County. Please contact the District if you believe you have gorse occurring on your property!
Manual Control: As gorse does not begin to produce thorns until it reaches several months in age, new seedlings can easily be pulled by hand. Larger plants may be removed manually with the assistance of heavy-duty gloves or a weed wrench. So long as the taproot is removed, the plant will not resprout. However, the area may need continued monitoring to ensure any previously dispersed seeds do not grow into a re-established patch.
Herbicides: For infestations that are too large or on too difficult of terrain for manual control, foliar or cut-stump application of herbicide is an effective means of controlling gorse. Products containing triclopyr have been found to be the most effective for gorse. Whenever using herbicide products, care must be taken to follow label directions for application and PPE use.
Biological/Cultural Control: Two weaknesses of this hardy plant are an intolerance of shade, and its palatability to livestock despite its thorniness. While large pastoral gorse infestations are not common in Oregon, one method of controlling such infestations is grazing by goats. In the long term, planting conifers to shade out gorse may also lead to eventual eradication in areas where herbicide use must be avoided.
Links to Information and Studies:
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Small Grant Program
The Small Grant Program is an easy-to-engage-in, competitive grant program that awards grant funding for on-the-ground restoration projects. This program responds to a need for local decision-making about watershed restoration opportunities on a shorter timeframe than is available under OWEB’s regular grant program. A local team of organization representatives review projects and vote on the allocation of the $150,000 from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).
The Small Grant Program funds projects including, but not limited to, riparian restoration, upland restoration, Integrated Pest Management (in conjunction with restoration), wetland enhancement, urban impact reduction (stormwater bioswales, vegetation, etc.), irrigation efficiency, livestock fencing (out of creeks and waterways) and fish passage. If you are interested in participating as a team member or applying contact Tyler Clouse (info@lincolnswcd.org) at the Lincoln SWCD.
A Small Grant applicant may be any tribe, watershed council, soil and water conservation district, not-for-profit corporation, school, Oregon institution of higher education, independent not-for-profit institution of higher education, or political subdivision of this state that is not a state agency. A state agency or federal agency may partner with an eligible entity. If you are a landowner or manager interested in a project, you may need to coordinate with an eligible organization to apply.
Upcoming Board Meetings
Our next board meeting will be held on July 9th, 2026 via Zoom. These meetings cover the general business of LSWCD, while also convening to decide the next steps the District will take in overall operations or within specific programs.
For registration assistance or special accommodation call the office (541-265-2631) or email Tyler Clouse (info@lincolnswcd.org).
Board of Directors Meetings take place at least once a month, generally on the second Thursday of the month, from 6 to 8 p.m. All meetings are open to the public, with the exception of occasional Executive Sessions.
The Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (LSWCD) complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities. If you would like to attend a meeting but need special accommodations, please contact us at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.