Yard Invaded by County's Bamboo - Ask Extension
I live in Montgomery County, MD and have a bamboo wall at the end of my yard. While it’s a great screen for Rock Creek traffic, it has grown 20 fee...
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Yard Invaded by County's Bamboo #875332
Asked June 30, 2024, 11:08 AM EDT
I live in Montgomery County, MD and have a bamboo wall at the end of my yard. While it’s a great screen for Rock Creek traffic, it has grown 20 feet into my yard and continues to spread. Its debris has also created nesting for rats. I don’t mind the foxes, but the rats have come into my home now.
Will the county pay for some or all of the remediation costs?
Thank you,
Mike
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Mike,
We are not aware of any local laws pertaining to bamboo remediation and removal, both on private and public/county property, though legislation passed recently at the state level did permit local authorities to create legislation about bamboo control. Installing a rhizome barrier would be a good first step, as per the guidance on our Containing and Removing Bamboo page. In this case, you would need to contact your county or city government to ask about whether there is an ability to have the county/city reimburse someone for the cost of installing a barrier and/or physically digging-out the rhizomes. One of our blog articles from several years ago, authored by an Extension legal specialist, implies that there may be little recourse, unfortunately: "What Can I Do About My Neighbor’s Plants Coming Onto My Property?"
Miri
We are not aware of any local laws pertaining to bamboo remediation and removal, both on private and public/county property, though legislation passed recently at the state level did permit local authorities to create legislation about bamboo control. Installing a rhizome barrier would be a good first step, as per the guidance on our Containing and Removing Bamboo page. In this case, you would need to contact your county or city government to ask about whether there is an ability to have the county/city reimburse someone for the cost of installing a barrier and/or physically digging-out the rhizomes. One of our blog articles from several years ago, authored by an Extension legal specialist, implies that there may be little recourse, unfortunately: "What Can I Do About My Neighbor’s Plants Coming Onto My Property?"
Miri
