MISSOULA COUNTY Weed District & Extension Annual Report 2019
EXTENSION OFFICE STAFF Jerry Marks -
WEED DISTRICT STAFF Bryce Christiaens -
Jean Jenkins -
Melissa Maggio -
Department Head
Financial Coordinator
Kelly Moore -
Family and Consumer Sciences Julia Goar EFNEP
Campbell Barrett -
4-H Youth Development
Sandy Perrin Plant Clinic
Pirrie Harris -
Accounting Clerk
Deidad Wright -
4-H Program Assistant
Weed District Manager
State Biocontrol Coordinator
Steffany Rogge-Kindseth Weed Education Coordinator
Lindsey Bona-Eggeman Weed Managment Area Coordinator
Jed Little -
GIS Coordinator
Chris Mascari -
Weed Prevention Coordinator
In Missoula, we lead the way in our state and beyond.
The Rocky Mountain Gardens and Exploration Center is moving forward to become an important part of Missoula. Located on the northeast four acres of the Missoula County Fairgrounds, it will be the new home for the Missoula County Extension Service/Weed District Department, the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium and the Missoula Conservation District. It will be a place to experience butterflies in a tropical environment and understand the complex interrelation of land, plants, and insects. It will be a place to learn to be a master gardener. It will be a place to learn about new kinds of fruits and how to grow herbs to flavor the foods you eat. A place to learn how to grow native wildflowers that attract your favorite pollinizers and ones you will be excited to identify. It will be a place to learn how to dry, freeze and can your favorite fruits and vegetables, and yes, get your canning pressure gauge checked.
O
ur commitment to our partnership and to our community will offer a one-of-a-kind place of natural connection – to our landscape and to each other. Our public-private program integration and collaboration will be nationally distinctive. And our combined efforts will be a legacy to inspire generations to learn and experience the characteristics that make us uniquely Missoula, proudly Montanan and one of a kind in the Rocky Mountain West. Major construction will be under way in Spring 2021. For more information or to join the effort, contact Jerry Marks, Extension Agent and Missoula County Weed District and Extension Department Head at 406-370-7963.
TRAIL
irrigation well east maintenance gate
fence
fence
berries orchard
orchard PARKING
strawberries
grapes waterwise & low maintenance
orchard fence
hoop house
BUS DROP
ENTRY native forbes
sensory
ornamental
south utility entry
small truck access
patio native prairie grasses & forbes
lawn alternate
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ro
overlook gazebo
nna,
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lawn alternate
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ran
frag
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forest garden
lav
lbs
/bu
als
en
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lave
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pollinato
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irrigation demo
spiral herb thway
rden pa
main ga
mixed annuals
ros
iris
on
pe
patio & outdoor classroom
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, ca dahlia la gladio
compost & soil making
TRAIL
LEARNING CENTER
equipment & tool barn
gourd tunnel garden house
raised vegetable beds ENTRY
espalier fruit trees on fence
ENTRY
espalier fruit trees on fence
Missoula County Education Gardens
An educational facility featuring hands-on activities and innovative programs that help the human spirit learn about growing and preparing vegetables, fruit, and herbs through plant research, education and display, while encouraging a lifelong interest in pollinators, gardening, nutrition awareness, and opportunities to connect with nature. SCHEMATIC DESIGN - APRIL 2019
Youth Education Weed District staff, Youth in Restoration crew members along with weed board members partnered with Fish, Wildlife & Parks to adopt the West-Fork of the Clearwater trailhead to help reduce the transportation of noxious weeds by installing an educational kiosk and boot brush station. Adopt-A-Trailhead is a cooperative volunteer program initiated by the Montana Noxious Weed Education Campaign.
Youth in restoration In the Leave No Weeds program, area 5th graders learn to identify different native and non-native plants that populate the rolling hills of Missoula. They are introduced to the ideas of habitats, ecosystems, biodiversity, and the importance of a healthy/thriving plant community to our outdoor world. The kids are able to experience a wide variety of invasive management knowledge. They do so through a native plant walk, weed pull, biocontrol observations and revegetation activities.
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n 2019, over 1400 students got outside to learn plant identification, kids focused on local native plant species and common invasive plant species impacting the area.
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n 2019, the Weed District and Butterfly House partnered to pilot a pollinator program for area 2nd grades. The newly created Powerful Pollinators program is currently being offered to 4 local schools and 12 different classrooms this spring. This exciting new program will focus on understanding the roll pollinators play on our surrounding landscape. Based on insect and plant structure and function, students will look at how pollinators aid in pollination of native plants and what native plant pollination strategies look like. We are excited to expand this program and partner on many more in our new facility and conservation/demonstration gardens.
“Our partnership with the Missoula County Weed District and Extension Service on this program is incredibly powerful and a truly natural fit. The students get a well-rounded immersion into the world of pollination in a fun, active and hands-on way. It’s fun and educational for the students and frankly fun for me to teach as well!� Carolyn Taber, Education Coordinator Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium
2019
The roving inspections took place at Lindbergh, Holland, Van, and Swan Lake. The roving season took place from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. This season the Swan Rover inspected 692 boats. There were 13 high-risk inspections preformed. No AIS were found in 2019. Missoula County Weed District staffs and jointly oversees the Clearwater Station through a contract with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. The Swan Roving Inspection Program is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Flathead National Forest as well receiving funding Rover once again operated out of the from a local lakeshore homeowner’s Swan Valley Connections facility and inspected boats around the Swan Valley association known as the Swan Lakers. Thursday through Sunday. Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station and Roving Program. The station was open April 11 - September 29. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the station operated from 7am-7pm and 8am-6pm during the shoulder seasons. This season 20,880 inspections were performed at the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station, making the station the busiest in the state. The busiest day was June 30 with 401 inspections being performed. No aquatic invasive species were found on any of the watercraft that came through the station in 2019. Swan
Both the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station and the Swan Roving Inspection Program are made possible through funding from partners.
Plant Clinic 2019
In 2019 the Plant Clinic provided many classes to the community and involved Missoula in many d i f f e r e n t g a r d e n p r o j e c t s. A s p i c t u r e d t h r o u g h out the page you can see some of the following a c t i v i t i e s. One of the first classes herbal swags in Lunch and Lear n Class with 2 4 creative a t t e n d e e s. P r u n i n g f r u i t tree demonstration Class in April attracted 3 5 people. The Clinic was able to d i a g n o s e 6 s a m p l e s o f white rot on garlic in h o m e g a r d e n s a n d f a r m s. Pictured to the left, you can see the 1st Hot C h i l i p e p p e r e a t i n g c o n t e s t a t t h e We s t e r n M o n t a n a Fa i r. T h e r e were 8 heat loving contestants present for this a c t i v i t y. The Edible Flowers Class offered attendees to m a k e t h e i r o w n f o o d m o r e a p p e a l i n g. T h i s i n c l u d e s s o m e l e s s o n s o n : g r o w i n g e d i b l e f l o w e r s,
identifying edible and c o l l e c t a b l e p l a n t s, and then using them to decorate your food! This is a fun and inclusive way to make healthy eating creative and fun for the whole family! Scouting throughout the Missoula valley for p e s t s, d i e a s e s, w e a t h e r i n j u r y i n f o r m a t i o n i n 2019 was used to update and make accurate t h e Pe s t A l e r t H o t l i n e . T h i s i s t h e n d i s t r i b u t e d through email, MC Extension website and phone recordings so that Missoula. The Plant Clinic provided infor mation to 1650 c a l l s , wa l k - i n c l i e n t s , s i t e visits and emails this year on soil testing, pruning, plant identification, and pest control.
382 Members 58% Female 42% Male
Projects by Category 67% Animal 11% Environmental Education / Earth Sciences 6% Communications and Expressive Arts 5% Leadership and Personal Development 5% Foods and Nutrition 4% Consumer and Family Science 2% Technology and Engineering
School Grade
1185 37% K-5
35% Middle School
28% High School
TOTAL PROJECTS ~ 3.1 projects per member
Family and Consumer Sciences 2019 MTKNP-Montana Kinship Navigator Program Monthly Support Group Community Partners: Missoula Aging Services, The Missoula Food Bank MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS
Diversity and Inclusion
“Dementia Friendly Missoula” Committee Member National Education Association Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) & MSU Extension, Diversity and Inclusion Committees Safe Zone Trainer -LGBTQ+ Inclusion Education
Nutrition, Cooking, and Healthy Eating Meat and Vegetable Pressure Canning classes* Jelly Making Class * Lunch and Learn Classes> Edible Flowers, Edible Arrangements, Haskaps, Chili Peppers, Cooking with Exotic Spices, Beets Providence Diabetes Education Cooking Classes at Natural Grocers Multi-Generational Cooking Classes-“All Hands-on Deck” at the Bill & Rosemary Gallagher Learning Kitchen in The Missoula Food Bank.
YAM Program-Youth Aware of Mental Health -124 high school freshman and sophomores.
DIABETES & CAREGIVERS DEEP-Diabetes Empowerment Education Program/ 2 classes Powerful Tools for CaregiversCommunity Partner- Missoula Aging Services