Re: Broom bash a community effort in Highlands (Gazette, May 20)
I was very pleased to see the May 20 article about the Broom bashers in the Highlands. Having just returned from Port Alberni and Tofino, I was discouraged to see the huge yellow forests of the noxious weed along the highways and in the fields of every town I passed through. The temporary bright yellow colour may appeal to some until they turn stringy and brown, crowding out our naturally diverse, multicoloured, delicate wildly flowered fields, forests and grass lands.
I was unable to assist my neighbours in removing broom from our area when it first started blooming, as the pollen causes pain to my eyes and difficulty breathing. But I can still dig up or pull out small plants any other time of year.
As broom becomes established it takes much more work to get rid of its extremely strong, invasive root structures. Please help by removing it while you still can. I’m so grateful to those who are willing to work now to protect the future of our beautiful island before its too late.
Many thanks to all broom busters everywhere.
Jan Kokelj
Highlands