Photo: Little Bighorn Battlefield prairie, Eastern Montana. Copyright 2017 Delena Norris-Tull.
Weed Prevention Areas in Eastern Montana
Research summaries and commentary by Dr. Delena Norris-Tull, Professor Emerita of Science Education, University of Montana Western, April 2022.
Teams in eastern Montana, recognizing the challenges and the expense of managing noxious weeds after they have invaded prairies, are now working to identify Weed Prevention Areas (WPAs). A WPA is a rangeland area that does not yet have significant invasions, with the goal of removing invasive plants before they become a problem. Goodwin, et al., 2012, recognize that, “Rangelands are susceptible to invasion due to frequent openings in plant cover, high light levels, and human activity that transports weeds and creates disturbances.” Realizing that it is much less expensive to tackle noxious weeds before they dominate an area, Early Detection and Rapid Response is the emphasis in these areas. Over five years, Goodwin, et al., 2012, developed 12 WPAs as cooperative prevention systems, encompassing 5.5 million acres of mixed-grass prairie in eastern Montana. These systems are designed to monitor areas that do not yet have significant invasions, and remove noxious weeds before they become a problem.
To form the WPAs, Goodwin, et al., met with county weed agency representatives, field ecologists, ranchers, and federal and state land managers, to designate WPA boundaries, and determine which noxious weed species were most likely to become a problem in that area. These teams developed strategies for prevention, such as strategies to reduce accidental introductions of noxious weeds via vehicles and boats, hay, feed, and forage. The teams worked with the MSU Extension Service to produce two-page fact sheets on the selected invasive species that could be readily distributed to the local stakeholders. Mapping and monitoring systems were implemented, and include remote sensing, and on-the-ground assessment and removal by individuals, including ranchers and hunters, and can include the use of dogs trained to detect the target plant species.
Reference:
Links to additional Prairie Restoration projects:
Links to additional Innovative Solutions:
Weed Prevention Areas in Eastern Montana
Research summaries and commentary by Dr. Delena Norris-Tull, Professor Emerita of Science Education, University of Montana Western, April 2022.
Teams in eastern Montana, recognizing the challenges and the expense of managing noxious weeds after they have invaded prairies, are now working to identify Weed Prevention Areas (WPAs). A WPA is a rangeland area that does not yet have significant invasions, with the goal of removing invasive plants before they become a problem. Goodwin, et al., 2012, recognize that, “Rangelands are susceptible to invasion due to frequent openings in plant cover, high light levels, and human activity that transports weeds and creates disturbances.” Realizing that it is much less expensive to tackle noxious weeds before they dominate an area, Early Detection and Rapid Response is the emphasis in these areas. Over five years, Goodwin, et al., 2012, developed 12 WPAs as cooperative prevention systems, encompassing 5.5 million acres of mixed-grass prairie in eastern Montana. These systems are designed to monitor areas that do not yet have significant invasions, and remove noxious weeds before they become a problem.
To form the WPAs, Goodwin, et al., met with county weed agency representatives, field ecologists, ranchers, and federal and state land managers, to designate WPA boundaries, and determine which noxious weed species were most likely to become a problem in that area. These teams developed strategies for prevention, such as strategies to reduce accidental introductions of noxious weeds via vehicles and boats, hay, feed, and forage. The teams worked with the MSU Extension Service to produce two-page fact sheets on the selected invasive species that could be readily distributed to the local stakeholders. Mapping and monitoring systems were implemented, and include remote sensing, and on-the-ground assessment and removal by individuals, including ranchers and hunters, and can include the use of dogs trained to detect the target plant species.
Reference:
- Goodwin, K., Sheley, S., Jacobs, J., Wood, S., Manoukian, M., Schuldt, M., Miller, E., & Sackman, S. (Feb., 2012). Cooperative Prevention Systems to Protect Rangelands From the Spread of Invasive Plants. Rangelands , 34 (1): 26-31.
Links to additional Prairie Restoration projects:
Links to additional Innovative Solutions: