Cogongrass Mug Shots

Cogongrass, an invasive weed that threatens natural habitats, finds its mug shot on South Carolina billboards posted by the Department of Plant Industry, a part of Clemson University’s regulatory division. The campaign asks citizens to identify and report the pest to authorities so it can be eradicated.  Cogongrass is in its bloom stage right now, so it is in its most easily identifiable period. The billboards show the public precisely what it looks like so they can help identify and eradicate it. Combined with the culprit’s mug shot, the billboards urge the public to report Cogongrass to the university’s website for invasive species. Cogongrass has been identified in 12 of South Carolina’s 46 counties, four of which are now free of the pest.