Cheers: To Titan VanCoug. The rare corpse flower at Washington State University Vancouver drew thousands of visitors this week to see it bloom. Corpse flowers typically bloom every seven to 10 years, but associate professor Steven R. Sylvester, who raised the plant from seed, had been waiting 17 years for his project to come to fruition.
The spectacle — and the odor — attracted an estimated 12,000 viewers. Corpse flowers are known for a spike that juts up several feet from the center of the plant, and for their stench, which has been likened to dirty socks or rotting flesh. While they are not much to look at or to sniff, the chance to see the endangered plant in full bloom provided a unique opportunity. Alas, the corpse flower blooms for only one or two days, and Titan VanCoug already has receded to its normal state — at least for the next several years.
Jeers: To troubles at Vancouver Lake. The popular recreation spot was closed to swimmers and waders because of elevated levels of E. coli. The presence of the bacteria indicates the lake may have been exposed to human or animal fecal matter, creating a risk for those who came in contact with the water.
This adds to a list of problems for the 2,300-acre lake, which has an ongoing problem with invasive milfoil and has been under a warning this summer for cyanotoxins. Overall, the issues reinforce the need for Vancouver, Clark County and state officials to collaborate on an active management plan for the lake.
Cheers: To the Clark County Council. County leaders have delayed making a decision on a proposal to lift an “urban holding” designation for land near the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds. The proposal could open more than 2,200 acres to development near the 179th Street interchange with Interstate 5. Under state land-use laws, development is blocked until the county secures funding for infrastructure to support increased use.
The scope of the proposed development — more than 1,100 single-family homes, along with 326 apartments and 99 townhouses — calls for meticulous planning. Councilors are wise to take their time and fully consider funding implications. “Complete materials need to be posted at least one week prior, and that’s not an unreasonable request,” Councilor Temple Lentz said.
Jeers: To giant hogweed. Clark County officials are warning residents that batches of the noxious weed have been found in the area. Giant hogweed can grow to more than 15 feet tall and produce leaves up to 5 feet wide, with stems having distinctive purple-red bumpy blotches. According to the county’s website, the plant’s clear, watery sap “contains a phototoxin that causes human skin to be hypersensitive to sunlight, resulting in burns and blisters.”
Property owners who find the plant should contact Clark County Vegetation Management at 564-397-6140. If you come into contact with the sap, immediately wash with soap and water and avoid exposing the skin to sunlight for 48 hours.
Cheers: To local history. Port of Kalama commissioners have approved up to $375,000 to purchase and ship a steam locomotive that has ties to Southwest Washington. The SP&S 539 traveled the rails from 1917 to 1957, and then was displayed in Esther Short Park for 40 years. It moved to Battle Ground for a planned restoration that never was completed, and in recent years has been in Arizona.
Now it might be returning to the area. Officials plan to display the locomotive at the port to help illuminate the history of the Columbia River town. “It will be great to tell that story,” one official said.
