For the week of December 4 - 10, 2002

County develops coordinated plan to combat spread of noxious weeds

Third in series of three

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By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

A coordinated attack on noxious weeds in the region began in August with the formation of the Blaine County Cooperative Weed Management Area. The area was divided into four geographically based working groups: Smiley Creek-Sawtooth Valley, Big Wood watershed, Little Wood-Carey and Craters of the Moon-Fish Creek.

The working groups are composed of landowners, other interested private citizens and representatives from federal and local government. They are charged with developing weed-control projects within their districts.

The cooperative weed management area is to be run by a steering committee whose 12 members will be appointed by the Blaine County commission on Dec. 16.

Part of the planning is geared toward applying for grants from the Idaho Department of Agriculture’s cost-sharing program for weed control. The department is expected to award more than $1 million in grants for next year. Last year, the average grant award was $32,000.

One of the conditions for applying is that a cooperative weed management area draw up a strategic plan to detail its expected assault on noxious weeds.

Due to his experience creating such a plan for Camas County, Fairfield resident Carl Rey was hired by the Blaine County commissioners to draw up a Blaine County plan. Rey presented a draft of his plan at a meeting Nov. 19 at the Old County Courthouse in Hailey. Twenty-two people attended, representing most of the groups involved in the cooperative weed management area.

Projects proposed for the Big Wood River Watershed Working Group are:

• Complete an agreement with the Idaho Transportation Department to eradicate diffuse and spotted knapweed along Highway 75 from south of Bellevue to the SNRA headquarters, north of Ketchum. Herbicides should also be applied to the weeds along the bike path, sheep trailing lanes and fishing access sites.
  
  

• With the support of each city council, plan a high-profile, one- or two-day activity directed at diffuse and spotted knapweed, before July 10.
  
  

• Work with the Wood River Elk Management Group, using grant money provided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, to apply an herbicide to diffuse and spotted knapweed on elk winter range sites.
  
  

• Perform a follow-up action near Phantom Hill to eliminate reoccurring spotted knapweed infestations.
  
  

• Help the BLM map noxious weed infestations.

 

Projects proposed for the Smiley Creek area are:

• Plan a high-profile "Weedout Day" or "Weedout Week" to involve all the private landowners at Sawtooth City and Smiley Creek. It is presumed that many part-time residents or absentee landowners are unaware of the existence of noxious weeds on their properties and of their obligation to eradicate them.
  
  

• Attack the yellow toadflax infestation near Busterback Ranch using the herbicide Tordon 22K.

 

Projects proposed for the Little Wood River and Craters of the Moon-Fish Creek areas are:

• Help the BLM map and treat infestations of leafy spurge, Scotch thistle and Dyer’s woad around the Little Wood River, Silver Creek and Monument Butte.
  
  

• Work with the 18 landowners holding conservation easements in and around the Silver Creek Preserve to map infestations of Canada thistle and other weeds. Conduct "weed out days" to treat the infestations.
  
  

• Plan with the ITD to treat spotted knapweed along a 26-mile section of Highway 20.
  
  

• The next step, Rey told his audience, is for each working group to come up with cost estimates for the proposed projects. Applications for cost-sharing money must be submitted to the Department of Agriculture by Dec. 31.

 

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