What exactly is a noxious weed? Legally, a noxious weed is any plant designated by a Federal, State or county government as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property. In Kansas, the Secretary of Agriculture designates noxious weeds as stated in the Noxious Weeds Act. If a weed is declared noxious, it is considered noxious in all counties. It is the duty of everyone to control the spread of and to eradicate all noxious weeds on all lands owned or supervised by them using the methods adopted by the Secretary of Agriculture.
There are many weeds that fit the definition of a noxious weed, such as poison ivy, poison hemlock and Eastern Red Cedar, but these will never be declared noxious in Kansas because they are native plants. All noxious weeds in Kansas were brought in from other countries and are invasive by nature. Field bindweed, Johnson grass, musk thistle, sericea lespedeza, bur ragweed, Canada thistle, hoary cress, leafy spurge, quackgrass, Russian knapweed, kudzu, and pignut are all noxious weeds in Kansas.
The Sedgwick County Noxious Weed Department exists to help citizens fulfill their obligations to follow the state law. We provide these resources to our citizens:
- Education- we have printed pamphlets, fact sheets, and information regarding vegetation management for all types of weeds, not just noxious weeds.
- Inspections- we can meet at a citizen’s property to determine if noxious weeds are present and help determine a treatment plan if requested.
- Sale of herbicides at a cost share price for the control of noxious weeds- we sell certain products at a reduced price to citizens to control noxious weeds on their property.
- Provide treatment for noxious weeds on certain properties- contact us for more information.
- Complaint inspections- we follow up on reports of noxious weeds on adjacent properties, and can contact land owners to help persuade them to control these weeds on their properties.
- Enforcement of the Noxious Weed Act by informing land owners or supervisors of non-compliance and following up with inspections and/or treatments.
