harmful to fences and forests

The state of Oregon has taken the bold (and I think rather courageous) step of banning the sale of English ivy, starting on June 1st. Why, you ask? Here's an article I found from the website OregonLive.com

I realize that some people will have a real problem with the government banning something as seemingly innocuous as ivy, but if you know anything about kudzu, 'the vine that ate the South,' rampant vegetation, particularly that which is non-native, can have severe costs to the environment as well as our economy. Ahhh, the economy... for those of us not already predisposed to care about the environment, maybe mention of a monetary consequence will get some attention. Because individual actions do matter. We all know it's wrong to dump used motor oil down the storm drain or commit arson to our forests and yet, unfortunately, we can't count on everybody not to do such things, and so there are laws and regulations. Well, even though it may take some more time to see their harmful effects, there are other things to keep an eye on. It could be invasive plants, it could be invasive animals. And it all costs money to bring under control.

And so now, Oregon has banned the sale of English ivy. Imagine what their landscaping and home gardens could look like using other options - they could be quite beautiful - it just takes some getting used to!