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Impact Report

For plan Brush and Weed Control Education Program (San Juan County)
Date January 31, 2008, 10:08 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report Final Report for Cooperative Weed Management in Forested Areas San Juan Basin Weed Management District 2006-2007 The objective of this project was to increase coordination of federal, state, local and tribal agencies to prevent the spread of invasive species and to provide for their control and monitoring. Control efforts conducted under this project helped restore native species, habitat and areas degraded by invasive species. The project developed planning and communication strategies that encouraged action on invasive species, evaluated and communicated the associated risks. It formulated strategies to prevent the introduction of invasive species, developed and implemented management systems to facilitate the early detection, monitoring, eradication, containment and control. The project consisted of five phases. First, a concentrated effort was made to provide digitized maps of the invasive species currently infesting the Four Corners area. Second, a community wide education program was conducted to increase public awareness and to solicit community support and participation. Third, a Russian olive/salt cedar Task Force was formed and met six times during the period of this project. The Task Force was made up of Federal, State Local and private land managers in order to develop an integrated control program. Fourth, the interagency workgroup implemented a comprehensive control program in the project area. Finally, an evaluation of the program was conducted to determine the impact on the spread of invasive species. Identified and Mapped Invasive Species -- A concentrated effort was made to identify and map the location of invasive weed infestations on private, public and reservation lands within the project area. This was accomplished in three ways: 1. The existing weed mapping data was created into a digitized format and put into a geodata base by a GIS consulting company. This was then layered with identifying points such as county roads, BLM roads, rivers, towns, lakes, etc., to enable anyone to identify their location. The mapping effort covered 3.5 million acres in the San Juan Basin and is displayed on the Website sanjuanweeds.com and maps are attached on disc to this report. 2. An Internet site was maintained with the internet address of sanjuanweeds.com The web site serves as a source of information on invasive species in the region and also serves as a communication tool between the participating agencies. The website contains invasive weed maps, control measures, invasive weed fact sheets, demonstration plot results, identification of invasive species, and newsletters. 3. To determine the spread of invasive weeds in the basin a re-mapping project was conducted on the over 3.5 million acres in 2004-2005. This data was put into Arc view and maps were created and made available to land managers through this project. Educate the Public -- A community education program was conducted to further increase community awareness and participation. The education program consisted of the following components. 1. A weed symposium was conducted for residents of the Four Corners with over 85 weed managers attending the all day program. An applicator workshop with 80 participants was held for private, public and commercial applicators. 2. Six workshops with over 200 attendees were held for the general public, agricultural water users groups, Navajo Nation Farmers, and weed managers. 4. One invasive weed tour was conducted for producers, landowners, public agencies and the general public in July of this year with over 100 participants. 5. Demonstration plots were put out on the control of Russian Knapweed, Musk Thistle, Canada Thistle, Russian Olive and Salt Cedar. These plots were evaluated and disseminated to the public through newsletters and the website. 6. A quarterly invasive weed newsletter called the “Weed Warrior” was produced and distributed to over 600 area agricultural producers, public agencies and private landowners. Control Program – Over 100 acres of invasive weeds were sprayed by commercial applicators on 75 properties as follow up from the previous project. In addition 25 additional properties were sprayed. The invasive weeds included Russian knapweed, hoary cress, musk thistle, Canada thistle, Russian olive and salt cedar. Through the mapping effort we found new introduced species to this area and some that we thought we had controlled. The following were sprayed by a commercial operator: Yellow Toadflax - 1 acre Plumeless Thistle - 99.65 acres Scotch Thistle - 11.68 acres Wavyleaf Thistle -3.22 acres Camelthorn – 1 acre Spotted Knapweed -10.43 acres Forty Acres of Canada thistle was sprayed as a demonstration/research project at Arkansas Loop. Chemical used was Milestone at 4 and 6 ounce rates, Curtail at 2 quarts, and Grazon P+D at a 2 quart rate. Twenty Acres of Canada Thistle was sprayed at Navajo Agricultural Products Industry using Milestone at a 7 ounce rate and Grazon P+D at a 2 quart rate in replication. In addition land owners cost shared the treatment of over 1500 acres of invasive weeds and enhanced over 10,000 acres of land in the San Juan Basin. Oil and Gas companies treated more than 1,000 acres of invasive weeds on BLM and Private land in the basin. Matching Funds 25% of P.I. salary and benefits @ 28%- $20,000+ 5% of Program Assistant salary and benefits @ 28%- $1,200+ New Mexico State Land Office Jackson Lake Project (Farmington) – 71 acres of Russian olive and salt cedar removed and chipped- $150,000.00 Oil and Gas Industry invasive weed control - $100,000 Land owner invasive weed treatment expense over and above re-imbursement from Grazing Land Protection Grant - $35,000 Morgan Lake Project by Arizona Public Service- 30 acres of Russian olive/salt cedar Hydro mulched and stumps treated. – March 2007- $39,000 Morgan Lake Project by Arizona Public Service- 25 Acres of Ro/sc mulched $35,000 San Juan Russian olive/salt cedar project from House Bill 2 Jr. monies- To Date $40,000.00- 40 acres Hydro mulched and 40 acres of ditch bank sprayed Grazing Land Protection Grant This grant was written to establish continued funding for cost share programs for producers. This grant is for three years for $25,000 each year. The fiscal year just ended with over 35 land owners receiving financial assistance with invasive weeds. More than 2,000 acres were controlled and more than 10,000 enhanced. San Juan Russian Olive and Salt Cedar Initiative This proposal was written and received from the New Mexico State Legislature through House Bill 2 Jr. monies put up by San Juan County Legislators. The total amount received was $170,000 to do control work on the three river systems in the County. This agent serves as P.I. for the project. A memorandum of agreement with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the County has been reached and the monies will be handled through the Farm and Range Improvement account with the County. Work has started on the project and by the end of the physical year the following items will be accomplished: The objective of this project is to increase coordination of private land owners and Government agencies to control and prevent the spread of Russian olive and saltcedar and to provide for their control and monitoring. Control efforts conducted under this project will restore native species, habitat and areas degraded by these species. The project will develop planning and communication strategies to encourage action on these invasive species and will evaluate and communicate the associated risks. It will formulate strategies to prevent the introduction of invasive species, develop and implement management systems to facilitate the early detection, monitoring, eradication, containment, or control. The challenge in managing the invasion of Russian olive and saltcedar in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico is four fold: 1. Coordinating the development of a control strategy among the responsible parties. 2. Educating and involving the public in a control effort. 3. Implementing a control program on the private, public and tribal lands in the project area. 4. Restoration of those areas controlled This proposal addresses each of these challenges and presents a strategy to develop a comprehensive and coordinated control program to prevent the spread of Russian olive and saltcedar in the Four Corners. Methodology: 1. Develop a cost-share program for landowners. The funding will enable the expenditure of funds to reimburse land owners the cost of chemicals, or commercial removal, seed, trees, and/or equipment necessary for restoration of the treated areas. 2. Land managers will participate in the aforementioned program to increase water quantity and quality, restore native plant species to these riparian areas, increase water flow, decrease wildfire threats, and improve wildlife habitat. 3. Organize partnerships with cooperators within the San Juan Basin that share the same common goal and draft a basin-wide management plan. 4. Provide funds for contractual removal of non-native phreatophytes on public and tribal lands. 5. Monitor treatments conducted under this project for success. Percent control of Russian olive and saltcedar and cover of desirable species will be surveyed to document success. This will assist in the evaluation of re-vegetation of the site or follow-up treatments that will be necessary to meet the landowner’s land objectives. 6. Education: Provide opportunity for cooperators to have all means available to them to understand, use and implement the Integrated Vegetative Management (IVM) practices. This will be accomplished through short courses, lectures, on-the-job training, seminars, and publications. Evaluation: Monitoring and evaluation will be performed after implementation of each project. The individuals and their cooperators will have the primary responsibility to track success and failure, which then will be reported to the San Juan County Farm and Range Improvement Committee. Type and duration of monitoring will depend on treatments implemented. 1. Control methods will be evaluated for effectiveness. 2. The spread of invasive species during the project will be documented as a part of the ongoing effort to maintain the invasive species database. 3. Public interest and participation in the control effort will be measured by attendance at education programs and requests for assistance. 4. Chemical control measures will be measured a few weeks after implementation, throughout the growing season, and then the following springs and falls. 5. Mechanical treatments will be monitored every few months.