Lemhi County Cooperative Weed Management Area Year Ending December 31, 2018 Annual Report

Transcription

1 Lemhi County Cooperative Weed Management Area Year Ending December 31, 2018 Annual Report Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 1

2 Table of Contents Topic Page Introduction (1) 3 Summary of Year 2017 (2A-C) 4-8 Herbicide Purchases (2D) 9 Project Summaries (2E-F) 9 Contributions and Expenditures (3) 10 Plans for Next Year (4) 10 Appendix A 11 Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 2

3 (1)Introduction The Lemhi County Cooperative Weed Management Area (LCWMA) was developed in 2001 to address noxious weed issues affecting Federal, State and private land while erasing property boundaries. The goal of the Lemhi CWMA is to bring together individuals, agencies and organizations responsible for and interested in invasive plant species to coordinate management activities throughout Lemhi County. The primary purpose of the Lemhi CWMA is to promote efficient and effective integrated weed management. The Lemhi CWMA emphasizes all aspects of integrated weed management, including education, prevention, early detection, inventory, various treatment methods, monitoring and revegetation projects. The Lemhi CWMA lies within the boundaries of Lemhi County with the exception of those portions of Lemhi County within the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, the Birch Creek and Little Lost River drainages. Refer to the map of Lemhi CWMA boundaries in Appendix A. Major weeds of concern within the CWMA are broken into two categories consisting of new invaders (currently managed as eradication); Puncturevine, Orange Hawkweed, Salt Cedar, and Knotweed and established invaders (currently managed as control all identified known sites); Rush skeletonweed, Houndstongue. These weed species have the ability to invade large portions of the CWMA and cause severe economic downfalls in regard to agriculture and the tourism industry, in addition to a degraded ecosystem for the abundant wildlife distribution located within the CWMA. We also have a category consisting of eradicated species throughout the CWMA. Species fitting within the category are required to have been absent for a minimum of 5 years and consist of the following; Purple loosestrife, Dyers woad and Yellow starthistle. Lemhi CWMA Members Sharayh Krantz Diane Shuldt Andy Klimek Tommy Gionet Katie Baumann Jessie Shallow Dennis Newman Shannon Williams Guy Armstrong Vince Guyer Charles Morton Matt Montelius Mark Troy Agency Lemhi County USFS USFS USFS USFS IDFG IDFG U of I Extension Office Chair BLM BLM Custer County Idaho Adventures Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 3

4 (2A-C) Summary of Year 2018 Projects Priority 1 Citizens Against Weeds This priority is a combination of five projects with the same underlying concept and therefore grouped together as Citizens Against Weeds with the sub-categories of Cost Share, Lemhi River Noxious Weeds, Carmen Noxious Weeds, Spray Days, and Equipment Loaner. The goal is to encourage private landowners to become involved with noxious weed management and become educated in the methods of control. This consists of calibration, identification, herbicide usage, biological or mechanical control. The final outcome of the program is to help landowners get a handle on weed problems so that they can manage their property in the future. Lemhi County Cost Share Program ($5,000 ISDA Funding) Private In-Kind $2, The cost share program in ran by reimbursing private landowners 50% of herbicide costs up to $ of the total purchase. All herbicide applications are required to be used on Idaho State noxious weed species and a completed record turned in prior to reimbursement. All applications were made on private land within the Lemhi CWMA during the growing season of This program is crucial in helping private landowners control listed noxious weeds, reducing the spread and impact. This is the 17 th year for the program and is still being utilized. In 2018 private landowners treated 187 chemical acres and inventoried 286 acres for noxious weeds. Species that were controlled were Spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, Houndstounge, Whitetop, Hoary alyssum, Black henbane, Leafy spurge. Lemhi River Noxious Weeds ($10,000 ISDA Funding) Private In-Kind $10, The Lemhi River historically has had a relatively low volume of noxious weeds due to existing cattle grazing practices and weed management practices by local ranches. With more and more ranches participating in enclosure programs to support the return of anadromous fish, weeds are starting to take root along the Lemhi River. This program was set up as a 50% cost share program (labor and herbicide) to encourage the start of an effective weed management plan. This year a total of 133 chemical acres were sprayed in the Lemhi River Drainage targeting Canada thistle and 152 inventoried. Interest in this program has grown and has even been asked for in other parts of Lemhi County. The Lemhi CWMA looks forward to continuing this program. Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 4

5 Carmen Drainage Noxious Weeds ($10,000 ISDA Funding) Private In-Kind $6,699 Landowners in the Carmen drainage requested a program like the Lemhi River Noxious Weeds Cost Share. Leafy spurge had been successfully reduced over the years by using bio control efforts, goat grazing, spray days, agency participation, and the Carmen Creek Contract. The Leafy spurge has made a comeback over the last few years. This program was set up as a 50% cost share (labor and herbicide) to encourage the start of an effective weed management plan. This was the first year for this program and 111 chemical acres were achieved, along with 432 inventoried. Canada thistle and Leafy spurge were the main targets here. The CWMA already has more interest in this program for next season and looks forward to continuing this program next year. Spray Days ($6,000 ISDA Funding) Private In-Kind $13,503 A spray day is an event sponsored by the CWMA and its purpose is to encourage members from all agencies to come together and work with private landowners for the good of the community. These events are designed to target a specific noxious weed that is of concern to the CWMA; however private landowners are permitted to treat any noxious weed with the herbicide. The CWMA was involved in seven community spray day events during the 2018 field season. The CWMA Facebook page and local radio were utilized in spreading the word with an estimated 1,000 public contacts. This year several of the spray days were cut short due to weather. With that being said, we were still able to bring in $13,503 worth of private in-kind value. There was a total of 321 chemical acres treated. This year the Tower Creek Spray Day was sponsored by the Lemhi Soil and Water Conservation District. The spray days are not only a great way to treat noxious weeds but it is probably our best form of tailgate education. Many private landowners have purchased their own sprayers since beginning this program. It also gives us a chance to teach them calibration, weed identification, reading the label, safety and a plethora of additional information. Spray Day Chemical Acres In Kind Hours Elk Bend Tendoy Leadore Pahsimeroi Carmen Crk Tower Crk th of July Crk Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 5

6 Equipment Loaner ($0.00 ISDA Funds) Private In-Kind $1, The Equipment Loaner Program is designed to give private landowners the tools needed for herbicide application or habitat improvement. People can rent ATV sprays, backpack sprayers, and seeders in order to complete any noxious weed treatment. No funding was asked for this year. The fees that are charged are $5.00/day for a backpack sprayer, $10/day for an ATV sprayer, $25/day for an ATV broadcast seeder, and $50/day for an ATV no-till-drill seeder. The rental charge isn t intended to make money but to serve as a method for repairing or replacing equipment. Private landowners completed acres using this program. This does not include our spray day events where equipment is available free of charge. Measurable Outcomes Chemical Acres Inventoried Acres 1, Total Contacts 2, *Keller Ranch / Carmen Drainage Noxious Weed Cost Share / Leafy spurge targeted Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 6

7 Priority 2 Bio Control ($1,000 ISDA Funds) Private In-Kind $ The Lemhi CWMA is striving to diversify the way noxious weeds are controlled in the county. Cyphocleonus achates is not only establishing, but also the effects of this species are becoming noticeable, this in in large part due to the annual Youth Bio Collection. This helps to distribute the agent to local landowners and surrounding counties and states. The Lemhi CWMA purchased the Cyphocleonus from the kids at $0.25 per insect. This year a whopping 4,619 bugs were collected! There were 11 kids under the age of 16 collecting. Trail Gulch Collection Site Measurable Outcomes Total Number of Contacts Total Number of Cyphocleonus 4, Priority 3 Big Creek Noxious Weeds GSG Project ($16,400 ISDA Funding) Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 7

8 Private In-Kind $5,729 The Lemhi CWMA received funds for the improvement of Greater Sage Grouse habitat. The Challis BLM Field Office has been working on BLM land in the Big Creek area within the Pahsimeroi Valley. 200 acres of the Big Creek Ranch (RP13N23E123600, RP13N ) was inventoried by Lemhi County and Custer County for noxious weeds along with 200 acres on the Flat Iron Ranch (RP13N23E , RP13N23E183601). The noxious weeds identified on these private lands were Spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, Hoary alyssum, and Musk thistle. While not a noxious weed, cheatgrass was also in abundance. The bid went to Chemilogical Weed Management who sprayed 25.6 chemical acres on the Big Creek Ranch. Native seed was then bought for the private landowner (Tom Page) to put down. Flat Iron Ranch is now interested in a weed management plan with the Lemhi CWMA. Measurable Outcomes Chemical Acres Inventoried Acres Public Contacts 2.00 Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 8

9 (2D) Herbicide Purchases Chemical Quantity Purpose Platoon gallons Tank mix / Sensitive areas Milestone gallons Knapweeds, Thistles Plateau gallons Leafy spurge Opensight lbs Whitetop, Knapweeds Telar XP oz Houndstounge, Whitetop Transline 5.00 gallons Knapweed, Thistles GrazonNext HL gallons Knapweed, Thistles Method 5.00 gallons Leafy spurge Spreader gallons Surfactant Turf Trax Blue 5.00 gallons Dye (2E-F) Project Summaries Category Weed Species Acres Treated Biological Releases Spotted knapweed 4,619 released Re-Vegetation Mechanical Control All Species Spray Days All Species Equipment Loaner All Species Lemhi Drainage All Species Carmen Drainage All Species Cost Share All Species Big Creek Noxious Weeds All Species Total Acres Inventoried All Species 1,790 Public Contacts 2,202 GPS/GIS Mapping Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 9

10 (3) Contributions Sales Lemhi County USFS BLM U of I Private (4) Plans for Next Year The primary goal for the LCWMA during the 2019 season is to prevent any new invaders from becoming established within the LCWMA. In order to meet this challenge crews will be trained on our potential invaders outlined within the strategic plan and their identification characteristics. We are also planning on having the undercarriage rinse station up and running again to further prevent any seed dispersal wither out of or into our county. Along with prevention, education will rank close to the top. It is much easier if we can get members of the community looking for and treating noxious weeds. If we believe that we will be able to complete this task by ourselves then we have already lost. After prevention and education we will work through the Lemhi Strategic Plan that is updated annually and follow the species prioritization. We look forward to next year and anticipate an even more successful year than the one that has just passed. Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 10

11 Appendix A Exhibit 2 End of Year Report 2018 Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area 11