Today, a sign was spotted along the Willamette Greenway path near SW/Johns Landing. This acted as a warning to notify Portland residents that the blackberries in the area were no longer organic, and had been compromised with herbicides. The reason for this was to destroy weeds that had become problematic in the area.

This sign was photographed by a forager in the area who quickly spread the word. In short, the herbicide used was Triclopyr, which is registered for use on food crops and does not generally pose a risk to humans. Nonetheless, it is believed that this sign is legally required after contaminating the area.

In fairness, the sign is far from subtle and says ‘Caution’ in large red writing. It was placed there by Portland Parks and Recreation. Nonetheless, if you rushed past the sign or entered from a different angle then it may be easy to miss. This sign was originally posted by the Twitter page, PDX Updates which has helped spread the news.

In other words, it’s up to the individual if they choose to eat the blackberries in question. If you are truly worried about the herbicides, then it’s probably best to avoid picking from this area. Thankfully, Portland has plenty of other locations that are filled with wild blackberries and other healthy foods from natures doorstep.