The battle continues against an aggressive invasive weed.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is kicking off this year’s effort to eradicate Spartina on June 1st.

It will take place throughout Puget Sound, on the north and west sides of the Olympic Peninsula, and near the mouth of the Columbia River.

The WSDA says Spartina, also known as cordgrass, disrupts native saltwater estuaries and muscles out native vegetation, converting mudflats into solid Spartina Meadows.

This can devastate habitat for salmon, forage fish, invertebrates and waterfowl.

Spartina eradication efforts have been effective so far, reducing infestations from more than 9,000 acres in 2003, down to just over two acres in 2022.

However, those two acres of the invasive weed are spread out over 125 different sites from the San Juan Islands to Astoria, Oregon.

The WSDA says Spartina, also known as cordgrass,can devastate habitat for salmon, forage fish, invertebrates and waterfowl.