Weed and pest districts exist to assist landowners
By Slade Franklin Unmanaged noxious weeds and pests can negatively affect agricul- ture, wildlife habitat, land values, and even human health. For example: • Annual forage loss from invasive weeds in pastures amounts to nearly $1 billion in the United States. • In 1937, a Mormon cricket outbreak in Wyoming caused $383,000 in crop damage – approximately $6 million in today’s money. • Plants such as tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), and Russian knapweed (Centaurea repens) are common in Wyoming and toxic to livestock. • Plants such as purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.), oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), and Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia ssp. dalmatica) can destroy wildlife habitat by out-com- peting native plants. • In the Western states, an estimated 17 million acres of federal land are infested with noxious weeds, and the number is increas- ing at a rate of 4,000 acres per day. This is pretty scary news, and it’s hard to imagine what a small-acre-
Photo by William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International age owner can do to make a difference; however, a visit to a county weed and pest control district office is an excellent way to start. Wyoming’s current weed and pest program is the result of more than 100 years of noxious weed laws. The original weed control program was enacted and signed into law by Wyoming Governor William Richards in 1895 and made it “…the duty of every person, company, association of persons, railway company, corporation and municipal or public corporation in this state to destroy…the noxious weeds hereinafter mentioned, namely: the Aaesola kali tragus, commonly known as the Russian thistle and the Canadian thistle.” Since then, the state’s weed and pest program has be- come as diverse as the different invasive species threatening the state.
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Russian knapweed
Landowners can Legal mandate of weed an application. The extent of these and pest districts cost-share programs depends on the provide help to their Each county is required by stat- priorities set by the board and budget ute to have a weed and pest control constraints. local districts by district to implement effective control Since invasive weeds and pests reporting any plant programs for state “designated” do not recognize agency, county, weeds and pests. A “designated” or state boundaries, neither should or pest that looks out weed or pest may be a plant, animal, county programs; therefore, the 23 or insect that is destructive, injuri- districts (www.wyoweed.org) are or- of place. It is much ous, noxious (poisonous), invasive, or ganized by statute into the Wyoming detrimental to the general welfare of Weed and Pest Council. The council easier to eradicate 10 the state. serves as a platform for individual dis- tricts to coordinate and cooperate with or 12 plants than it is To implement these programs, a board consisting of five or seven each other to implement an effective to eradicate a 10- or county landowners is appointed by statewide program. The council also the county commissioners. The board plays an important role in working with 12-acre established holds monthly public meetings at neighboring states on regional and na- which district programs are devised tional noxious weed and pest issues. infestation. and reviewed. In many cases, the The council membership is also active board offers a cost-share program to in national organizations such as the landowners to assist in controlling North American Weed Management specific weeds or pests. Landowners Association and the Missouri River should contact their local district for Watershed Coalition.
14 BARNYARDS & BACKYARDS Mormon cricket
Designated weed and pest list includes mountain pine beetle, beet Part of the duties of the council is leafhopper, ground squirrels, grasshop- to update, by joint resolution with the pers, and Mormon crickets. Many dis- Wyoming Department of Agriculture, tricts also declare mosquitoes as pests, the Wyoming “designated” weed and which allows them to cooperate with pest list as needed. The list not only cities and abatement districts in insect serves as the state’s priority list of control and obtaining grant funding. noxious weeds and pests but is also re- Weed control requires ferred to by state and federal agencies partnership in their land management programs. Photo by Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service A landowner is often the first In addition to designated weeds defense against the introduction of and pests, each district can “declare” new invasive species. Landowners specific weeds and pests as noxious not only need to be aware of poten- within its respective county. Invasives tial invasion from the 25 “designated” particularly troublesome in a county weeds but also the species found can be added to the designated list outside our state’s boundaries. Some so districts can legally use public of the species creating significant funds to control declared weeds and problems in our neighboring states pests. Garlic mustard are yellow starthistle (Centaurea District budgets are funded solstitialis L.) in Idaho, African rue through county mill levies but may (Peganum harmala) in Colorado, rush also be supplemented by grants and marked with either special twine or skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) in contracts with government agen- tags. Certified hay typically sells at a Montana, spurge flax, (Thymelaea cies or private individuals as well higher price than uncertified; there- passerina (L.) Coss. & Germ.) in South as sales of services and products. fore, the producer also receives an Dakota, and garlic mustard (Alliaria Grant sources such as the Wyoming economic benefit. petiolata) in Nebraska. For photo- Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Some state and federal agencies, graphs and other information, see have made a significant contribu- such as the WYDOT and USFS, have http://ces.edu/wyoweed/wyoweed. tion to districts working to improve restrictions on the use of uncertified htm. These weeds and many others wildlife habitat. The Wyoming hay and straw on lands managed by are capable of establishing them- Department of Transportation their agencies. Weed-infested forage selves in Wyoming and could poten- (WYDOT), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), can spread invasive weed seed into tially already be here. and Bureau of Land Management are isolated and pristine areas. For more Landowners can provide help to examples of the agencies that con- information, please see Ask Sam their local districts by reporting any tract with districts for noxious weed “What is certified hay?” published in plant or pest that looks out of place. control work. the Fall 2007 Barnyards&Backyards It is much easier to eradicate 10 or 12 magazine at www.barnyardsandback- plants than it is to eradicate a 10- or Wyoming Weed Free yards.com/Articles/2007.htm. 12-acre established infestation. Forage program In addition to noxious weed con- To find out more about your Fields free of noxious weeds may trol, the districts also implement pro- county weed and pest control district, be certified as “weed free” through grams on “designated” pests. Prairie the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council, the Wyoming Weed Free Forage dogs are the most widely recognized or invasive weeds and pests, visit the program by a weed and pest control and debated of those designated council Web site at www.wyoweed. district, and the harvested crop is as a “pest.” The designated list also org or call (307) 777-6585.
Slade Franklin is the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s weed and pest coordinator and can be reached at (307) 777-6585 or by e-mail at [email protected].
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