Madison Valley Ranchlands Group Inc

INTEGRATED NOXIOUS WEED MANAGEMENT IN MADISON COUNTY

AWARD PURPOSE: THIS PROJECT HELPS BUILD STRONG PARTNERSHIPS IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA TO FIGHT HARMFUL WEEDS THAT HURT THE LAND AND NATIVE PLANTS. THE MALHEUR COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED DEPARTMENT (MCNWD) AND THE VALE DISTRICT BLM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO TREAT AND CONTROL NOXIOUS WEEDS USING BOTH BIOLOGICAL CONTROL (USING NATURAL ENEMIES OF WEEDS) AND HERBICIDE TREATMENTS. THE GOAL IS TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:USE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL METHODS (LIKE INSECTS THAT EAT WEEDS) WHERE THEY ARE PROVEN TO WORK HIRE A COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR TO TREAT WEEDS BY GROUND OR AIR WORK WITH BLM, MADISON COUNTY WEED BOARD, AND MVRG TO CHOOSE THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS TO TREAT AND USE HERBICIDES WHEN NEEDED, BASED ON THE BEST SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.TARGET WEEDS INCLUDE:SPOTTED KNAPWEED LEAFY SPURGE CANADA THISTLE DALMATIAN TOADFLAX AND YELLOW TOADFLAX.ALL TREATMENTS WILL FOLLOW BLM GUIDELINES AND BE BASED ON WHAT WORKS BEST FOR EACH WEED AND LOCATION.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES: TREATED WEED INFESTATIONS ACROSS SOUTHWEST MONTANA BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS RELEASED IN AREAS WHERE THEY CAN KEEP WORKING FOR YEARS SHARED DATA AND MAPS TO HELP BLM AND PARTNERS PLAN FUTURE WEED CONTROL HEALTHIER PUBLIC LANDS WITH MORE NATIVE PLANTS AND LESS FIRE RISK. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PUBLIC, WHO WILL ENJOY CLEANER, SAFER, AND MORE BEAUTIFUL LANDS PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, WHO BENEFIT WHEN WEEDS ARE CONTROLLED ON NEARBY PUBLIC LANDS THE BLM, WHICH MANAGES LANDS FOR GRAZING, WILDLIFE, AND RECREATION WILDLIFE AND NATIVE PLANTS, WHICH THRIVE WHEN INVASIVE WEEDS ARE REMOVED AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM LONG-TERM WEED CONTROL AND HEALTHIER ECOSYSTEMS.

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