Buildings & Grounds

Finance Committee

Greenbelt Committee

Social Committee

Election Committee

Members of the Greenbelt committee have been pulling up knapweed on greenbelt areas and road edges. We urge all homeowners to pull knapweed on their own properties. If you are unable to clean up your property yourself, there are several companies who can come in and clear the weeds for you. A list of companies recommended by the county Noxious weed board is posted on the bulletin board by the clubhouse. Unfortunately, the best time for knapweed control is past (when the weeds are less than 8 inches tall) . Once the knapweed begins to bloom it is very important that any weeds you pull be placed in a plastic bag and disposed of (the flowering plants disperse seeds which will just produce more weed in coming years).

There are a few properties which have large amounts of knapweed which has not been dealt with for several years. These property owners will be notified by letter and asked to clean up the property. We hope that there will not be a need to ask the Weed Control Board to intervene with any of our property owners, however, if after notification by letter from the Ponderosa Community Club , the property has not been cleaned, or the PCC board notified of the owners plan to clear the weeds, it may be necessary to request intervention of the County Weed Board. , There is a law requiring the removal of noxious weeds, and the County weed board has the authority to require that property owners clean up the weeds. If , after two notices from the County weed board, the property is still not cleared of noxious weed, the weed board can have the weeds removed by a weed control company at the owners expense. This is done only after the owners have been given at least two notices requesting weed removal. SO please deal with knapweed on your properties yourselves or use the recommended weed removal services to do it for you.

Good news for the large areas of knapweed along Primitive Park Rd and under the power lines. The County weed board has released 400 bugs which eat knapweed seeds. It will take 3-4 years, but similar releases of bugs in the Entiat river valley have proved very effective and after 3 years an area about 25 acres is almost free of knapweed. The weed board has also released bugs in the Standing Rock area and Icicle river valley. Hopefully this will be the beginning of the end for knapweed in our community. The bug is about 1/4 inch, looks like a beetle with a snout, and the female lays eggs in the seed heads of knapweed. Larva eat the seeds and Presto--one less knapweed plant and no more seeds for future plants. These bugs are knapweed -specific and have been shown to be safe for all other plants, they will follow the knapweed food source and can fly considerable distances to find it. Sounds like a great plan.

Committee work parties and meetings. The Greenbelt committee will be working on clearing more trails, and cleaning up current trails. We meet the third Saturday of each month at 8 AM and after about an hour meeting will get to work on trails. We would love to have as many helpers as possible. Meet us at the clubhouse around 9 AM any of the following dates: June 28, July 19, August 16, Sept. 20,Oct 18. Bring work gloves, clippers, rakes, picks etc. or just yourself.