Impacts of broom (Cytisus scoparius) in western North America
Dennis L. Isaacson, Oregon Department of Agriculture, 635 Capitol Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97301, USA.
Summary
There are many economic and ecological consequences of the success of the introduced weed, broom (Cytisus scoparius), in western North America. Results of a survey of landowners and managers involved in forest regeneration and with roadside vegetation management are presented, and some ecological impacts are described and their extent is discussed. While there are some positive economic impacts, the negative effects of broom are considerable and conservatively amount to more than US $11 million ($A16.5 million) in western North America. Many of the ecological impacts of broom invasion are not known, or are poorly understood, but its role in stabilizing dunes along the western coastline of North America is substantial.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2000) 15 (4) 145-148.