ANNUAL REPORT 2017
WHY WE LOVE MISSOULA As residents of Missoula County, our access to open space is a common motive for why we live where we do. Coincidentally, the take it easy, get out and enjoy ourselves lifestyle seems to encompass the Missoula County standard of living. Landscapes, unique places and people make our county an extraordinary place to live. The Missoula County Weed District appreciates working in a region that realizes the importance of land management and the habitats they support. This summer we commissioned local artist Courtney Blazon to illustrate iconic sites and distinct natural areas that are the backdrop of our county. This creative piece is a visual representation of the things we love about Missoula County. The Weed District’s motivation behind producing the map of the county (depicted on the cover) is to remind everyone that noxious weeds impact those resources and places we value. We often focus on the undesirable, such as weeds, while looking at the landscape.
We forget the reason we control noxious weeds, which is to protect our valued natural spaces. The illustrated map depicts 8 watersheds throughout Missoula County. Each watershed has unique attributes and resources such as agriculture, wildlife, rivers, lakes and mountains that deserve recognition. Features from the historic Ninemile Ranger Station and Clearwater Junction cow to Missoula urban chickens, will keep you busy discovering the distinct aspects of each watershed. Sales from the illustrated map will help offset Missoula County Weed District’s youth education programming throughout the county.
WEED DISTRICT STAFF Jerry Marks – Department Head Bryce Christiaens – Weed District Manager Lindsey Bona-Eggeman – Weed Management Coordinator Steffany Rogge – Education Coordinator Jed Little – GIS Coordinator Matt Deaton – Prevention Specialist Melissa Maggio – Statewide Biocontrol Coordinator MISSOULA COUNTY WEED DISTRICT BOARD Jim Olivarez – Chair Dennis Vander Meer – Vice Chair Dean Pearson George Hirschenberger John Rimel Andy Hayes Doug Kopp Pat Sweeney
NATIVE AND INVASIVE PLANT POSTER SERIES ON THE MOVE. The May-June 2017 issue of Montana Outdoors magazine featured Missoula County Weed District’s poster series of native and invasive plants of Montana. The feature provided the opportunity for their readers across the country to request copies, free of charge. The response was resounding, to date 718 poster sets have been mailed across Montana and 33 states. This exposure led to a reprint of the plant poster series first created in 2010.
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YOUTH EDUCATION This past year the Missoula County Weed District’s education program engaged 1049 students across the county about the importance of healthy plant communities and the impacts noxious weeds have on these communities. Through the 5th grade Leave No Weeds program and the 3rd grade Nature Walk Week fieldtrips kids spent over 100 hours outdoors learning plant identification skills, native plant community function and in what manner invasive species disrupt the local habitats and ecosystems they were visiting.
Sussex School adapting to late season snow by building snowmen during the Leave No Weeds fieldtrip.
Cold Springs Elementary 5th graders enjoying the native plant walk among the arrowleaf balsamroot. 4
Participants of the Leave No Weeds program identified 42 different native plant species over the 5 week fieldtrip season on Mt. Jumbo. They spent 32 hours pulling spotted knapweed, at the commonly used trailhead, and spread 25 lbs of native plant seeds to complete the integrated weed management process they learned about through the LNW program. Nature Walk Week students gained handson experience with plant identification by observing key plant characteristics on native plants of the Rattlesnake Recreation Area. Third graders from 8 Missoula schools discovered and identified 10 native plants by detecting stem
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We truly appreciate our partnership with Missoula County Weed District and the Leave No Weeds Program. Their expertise helps us to better understand wildlife ecology and the harmful effects of weeds in our community.
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Hellgate Elementary School
shape, leave structure and flower color/ shape. Students also gained spatial awareness by creating maps of the riverfront along Rattlesnake Creek with legends designed with their own symbols based on their exploration and findings.
The Missoula County Weed District will continue to promote the importance of native plant communities and potential threats invasive species cause in these system by offering hands-on outdoor education programs.
Youth Education by the Numbers
42 teachers
from
17 schools
taught
1049 kids
about
Noxious Weeds
205 3rd Graders participated in Nature Walk Week 10
As part of Leave No Weeds
native plant species
Weed District Staff along with Spread 25 lbs of native plant seed
on
They practiced identification with 3 plant features
781 5th graders collectively...
Spent over 100 hours Spotted 4 outdoors black bears learning Hiked over
Removed 45 bags of Spotted Knapweed from Mt. Jumbo
1500 miles HD
Infographs by Heidi Daulton 5
YOUTH IN RESTORATION Missoula County Weed District provides 4 high school students a unique opportunity to participate and learn about local stewardship projects within Western Montana. YIR is a cooperative program that builds collaborative partnerships between diverse land management organizations, while providing youth crew members with career mentoring and on-the-ground training in natural resource conservation work. The youth crew participated in a variety of hands-on activities over their 9 weeks of service. A typical day may have included: removing noxious weeds on public and/ or private land; monitoring and mapping vegetation, such as newly discovered invasive grass species; collecting and releasing thousands of biological control insects; removing fencing that inhibits wildlife movement; clearing overgrown trails on nature preserves; backpacking into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to remove noxious weeds; or floating the local rivers and lakes to monitor for aquatic invasive species. The Missoula County Weed District looks to enhance and expand the Youth in Restoration 6
program each year by finding new partnerships and experiences that will provide knowledge and training in natural resource and conservation work.
PREVENTION Missoula County had another successful year of weed free forage production in 2017. Five reoccurring and two new producers supplied 167 tons of weed free forage to local sportsman, stock growers and federal agencies. The 157 acres of fields certified was the highest total for Missoula County since 2008. Our local
producers grew a variety of forage mixes this year including alfalfa, alfalfa-grass, high carb grass and low carb grass for horses. In addition to growing a variety of forage types local products where made available at Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply, the Axman and Mountain West Co-Op. Using weed free forage
can be a great way to prevent noxious weeds from invading your pasture and back yards. Although some producers advertise weed free products always look for a Montana Department of Agriculture forage marker and a transport certificate at the time of purchase.
Prevention by the Numbers 19.8
“
I wanted to thank your staff again for your time and follow-thru with us. We greatly appreciated all your efforts. The small field yield was over 15 tons!, and it was a job, but also excellent grass hay. Thanks again!
”
10.4
46.1
865
Acres Orange Hawkweed Treated
Yellow Flag Iris Points Treated 17.5 Acres
renn of Pe
C the along d e t a e d tr rwee ppe e P i al
oxious Weeds
8
trea ted
along 174 Miles of
Acres of Medusahead Mapped
iver rk R o F lark
Truckloads of Common Buckthorn Removed
WSFF Producer
541 Acre s of N
Acres of Whitetop Sprayed in the Missoula Valley
17
Acres of Leafy Spurge Treated Along Miller Creek Road
M DT rig ht-of-way
Through Missoula County Certified Weed Free Forage Program the Years Tons Produced
350
7
Acres Certified
300
Local Producers Market
250 200
Value of
150 100
$36,740
50 0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
HD
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BIOCONTROL GLACIER
In 2017, the Montana Biocontrol Coordination Project placed significant emphasis on establishing collectible insectaries of biocontrol agents throughout the state. Missoula County already contains insectaries for yellow toadflax, Dalmatian toadflax, leafy spurge, and spotted knapweed insects. This year, we made initial releases of insects for St. Johnswort and poison hemlock and a rust for Canada thistle in the county with hopes of creating collectible populations for future dispersal. The Nez Perce Biocontrol Center in Idaho, Washington State University Extension, and Montana State University were able to collect and ship klamathweed beetles (Chrysolina spp) to Missoula County Weed District (MCWD) to be released at a new potential collection site. This beetle defoliates St. Johnswort and often results significant impacts to the weed. The Havre BLM Field Office shipped defoliating hemlock moths (Agonopterix alstroemeriana) to MCWD with the intention of establishing an insectary for this poison hemlock agent. The moth’s larval form causes severe defoliation of the target weed, which reduces seed production and may kill plants outright. Colorado Department of Agriculture sent Canada thistle rust (Puccinia punctiformis) to Montana. We inoculated 8 sites throughout the state; 4 in eastern Montana and 4 in western Montana. The 4 sites in western Montana, are all within Missoula County. There were very specific site characteristics required for these initial releases. The required characteristics are thought to be ideal for developing productive populations of the rust. Therefore, we are hopeful that some if not all of these sites will establish and we will be able to collect rust to spread to new infestations of Canada thistle in the near future. Once we have an abundance of the rust to distribute, the site requirements will be much more relaxed. 8
HILL
FLATHEAD
BLAINE
VALLEY
RICHLAND
CASCADE
GARFIELD
DAWSON
MISSOULA MUSSELSHELL
RAVALLI
GALLATIN MADISON PARK
IL ST
TE A LW
ROSEBUD
R
INSECTARY TARGET AREAS Yellow Toadflax Dalmatian Toadflax Leafy Spurge Spotted Knapweed
St. Johnswort Canada Thistle Poison Hemlock
1.7
Million Biocontrols by the Numbers in Missoula County
insects
collected
134,500
insects released
6 species collected 7 species released
HD
720 acres treated
MAPPING In the fall of 2016 and spring of 2017, the Missoula County Weed District mapped over 500 miles of state highways, frontage roads and Interstate 90. Included in the inventory were highways 12, 200, 93 and 83. While sections of these highways were mapped in 2013, this was the first comprehensive remapping since they were originally mapped in 2005-2006. GIS analysis reveals that, while our highways are not yet weed free, there are far fewer weeds in the right-of-ways than there were 10 years ago. The mapping shows a 90% reduction in weed acres along Missoula County’s highways! Notably, there has been a significant reduction of new invaders such as leafy spurge and Dalmatian toadflax on highway 200 along the Blackfoot River and on I90 east of Missoula along the Clark Fork River. However, there is still much work to do.
Zone 1. The majority of the weeds in the right-of-way are in Zone 2 (15’ from the edge of the pavement to the right-of-way boundary). Weed control is much more challenging in Zone 2. Zone 2 can include steep cut banks, more rugged topography and obstacles such as trees. Many of the
weed infestations in Zone 2 spread across the right-of-way boundary into adjacent landowner’s property. Now that we have mapping data to back up our anecdotal observations that Zone 1 is relatively noxious weed free, we will work to extend our weed control efforts to Zone 2 in 2018.
The majority of the reduction of weeds on Missoula’s highways is due to aggressive control work in Zone 1 (the first 15’ from the edge of the pavement). Only 5.6% of the weeds mapped on the highways in 2016 were in
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RESEARCH In 2013, the weed district brought together an interdisciplinary group of natural resource managers, social scientists, and conservation leaders to work collaboratively to find ways to improve outreach effectiveness and enhance natural resource stewardship in Montana. Natural resources issues identified by the
group included mitigating the impacts of wildfire, wildlife conflict and invasive weeds. With funding provided by the Missoula County Weed District, Montana Department of Natural Resources, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Defenders of Wildlife, Montana State University Extension and the Montana Department of Agriculture,
the group partnered with the Human Dimensions Lab of the University of Montana to conduct a statewide survey that could provide us with a better understanding of landowners’ attitudes and values toward key natural resource issues, constraints and preferences for information sources. This information could then be used to clearly identify the groups of Montana landowners most in need of assistance and develop audience appropriate messaging and information for them. The survey was completed in 2016, and here are the believed their personal actions results of Landowners’ perspectives could help control weeds on weed control across Montana.
Natural Resource Values Across Montana
70% of Landowners
always checked their property for weeds
90% only
31%
believed that controlling weeds would motivate their neighbors to take action
80% were
Only 40% Thought Their Neighbors Were Taking Action
willing to use Herbicides
Friends & Family and General Internet Searches were the most popular sources of information
Only 44% Willing to Apply for Government Grant Program to do so
checked their property for weeds
• Almost 90% of landowners believed their personal actions could help control weeds, only 31% of respondents believed that controlling weeds on their property would motivate their neighbors to take action
• While 70% of landowners reported checking their property for weeds, only 40% of landowners thought their neighbors were taking action
Workshops & Classes and the Federal Government
• 80% of landowners are willing to use
herbicides to help control noxious weeds on their property, only 44% of landowners were willing to apply for a government grant program to do so
were the least popular
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10
• 70% of landowners said they always
• Friends and family and general
internet search were the most popular sources people used to get info. Workshops/classes and federal government were the least popular.
CLEARWATER WATERCRAFT INSPECTION STATION AND ROVING INSPECTIONS This summer was the first year of Missoula County Weed District overseeing the operation of the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station. Through a MOU with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, MCWD operated the station from April 15 to October 15 and hired 10 seasonal inspectors. In this time period 14,825 boats were inspected at the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station. The inspectors counted 2,238 watercraft that drove by the station without stopping. There were 638 out of state watercraft that received inspections. There were only 2 reports of standing water, 2 vegetations fails, and 1 boat that failed to be inspected prior to leaving Canyon Ferry.
in the boat launch area of the major waterbodies. Roving occurred 8am5pm Wednesday through Sunday. In the Clearwater and Blackfoot there were 819 watercrafts that a modified inspection was performed on. Of those, 206 had not previously been
inspected, we found that 81.1% of those watercraft that were not previously inspected were considered low risk. There were only 5 watercraft that were from out of state and those were non-motorized which typically is a lower risk watercraft.
In addition to the Clearwater Station, MCWD also implemented a roving watercraft inspection program at the major lakes in the Swan, Clearwater and Blackfoot drainages. This roving program operated from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Inspectors set up a pop up check station 11
PARTNERSHIPS Partners listed in blue were also Youth in Restoration Partners. Allied Waste Beaverhead County Weed District Bitterroot Biocontrol Project Bitterroot National Forest Blackfoot Challenge Blaine County Weed District Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation Bureau of Land Management (BLM) CABI-Swiss City of Helena City of Missoula – Conservation Lands Clark Fork Coalition Clearwater Resource Council Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Defenders of Wildlife Fergus County Weed District Five Valleys Land Trust Flathead Basin Commission Flathead Biological Research Station Flathead County Weed District Flathead National Forest Gallatin Valley Land Trust Golden Valley/Musselshell County Weed Districts Granite County Weed District Lake County Weed District Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge Lewis & Clark Conservation District Lewis and Clark County Weed District Lolo National Forest Madison Valley Ranchlands Group Missoula Conservation District Missoula County Community and Planning Services Missoula County Parks Mineral County Weed District Missoula Snowgoers Montana Association of Conservation Districts Montana Biological Weed Control Project
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Montana Department of Agriculture Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation Montana Department of Transportation Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Montana Invasive Species Council Montana Land Reliance Montana Noxious Weed Education Campaign Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund Montana State University Extension Montana Trout Unlimited Montana Weed Control Association MPG Ranch National Bison Range National Wildlife Federation Natural Resource Conservation Service Ninemile Ranger District North American Invasive Species Management Association Northern Rockies Invasive Plant Council Park County Cooperative Weed Management Area Powell County Weed District Ravalli County Extension Ravalli County Weed District
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Sanders County Weed District Seeley Lake Ranger District Stillwater Valley Watershed Council Swan Valley Connections Sweet Grass County Weed District Teton County Weed District The Nature Conservancy UM Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, Human Dimensions Lab University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab University of Montana – Natural Areas USDA - Agricultural Research Station USDA –Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA Forest Service – Rocky Mountain Research Station US Fish and Wildlife Service USFWS- National Bison Range US Forest Service- Lolo National Forest Wheatland County Weed District Whitehall School Project Wild Sheep Foundation Working Dogs for Conservation Yellowstone County Weed District