Brush and Weed Control Education Program

This office interacted with the following agencies to provide support for brush and weed control concerns:
NRCS
FSA
USFS
State Land Office
BLM
Lincoln County Cooperative Weed Management Area
Upper Hondo SWCD
Carrizozo SWCD
In addition, one on one assistance was provided to individuals as requested.

Working with NMDA, Lincoln County Extension coordinated the provision of pesticide training material to prospective applicators and notified current license holders of opportunities to obtain CEU's to maintain their licenses.

Fifteen Hondo Valley residents were given information on pesticide use and safety and plant identification at an April workshop. CEU's were authorized by NMDA. Cooperators included CES, NMDA, LCCMA, Upper Hondo SWCD and LCCMA.

Brush
The agent cooperated with the Central NM Weed Coop to facilitate a workshop attended by over 50 private citizens and government agency representatives. The focus was invasive and noxious weeds. The agent moderated the workshop with Extension specialists and private industry representatives presenting. Participants were able to earn continuing education units required to maintain a pesticide applicators license.

Crop Production
The agent worked with Thomas Chemicals and Fertilizer to host the NM Crop Production Clinic for over 100 producers. Moderated by the agent, Extension and private industry representatives presented workshops including topics such as weed control, alfalfa production, insect damage, and chemical fertilizer application. Participants were able to earn continuing education units required to maintain a pesticide applicators license.

2010-2011 Brush and Weed Control Program

The Northern New Mexico Cooperative Weed Management Area (NNMCWMA) program continues to be successful. A working format has been established. This year the organization has struggled with the hiring of a qualified coordinator. Since the position is seasonal and part-time it is most difficult to find the right person for the job. This year the organization tried to hire a weed coordinator for the East Rio Arriba Soil and Water Conservation District area and another one for the Upper Chama Soil and Water Conservation District area in order to lessen the amount of travel in the county. Pervious coordinators had suggested that this was area for improvement. Yet again this fall the organization continues to struggle since the current coordinator has found another job. The budget currently is at $47,000.00 with contributors’ being New Mexico State Forestry, both Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Upper Chama and East Rio Arriba, Northern Rio Grande RC&D Council and Bureau of Land Management. The county has opted not to contribute due to budgetary cuts this year. However, treatment of some kind has been on accomplished on 300 plus acres of New Mexico’s’ invasive and noxious plants.

THIS YEAR MORA COUNTY WAS IN A DROUGHT MOST OF THE SPRING AND INTO LATE SUMMER. WEEDS WERE NOT A PROBLEM UNTILL THE END OF THE SUMMER. TEN PRODUCERS CALLED OR BROUGHT IN WEEDS TO BE IDENTIFYED. OUR SHORT TERM GOAL IS CONTROL WEEDS BEFORE THEY BECOME A PROBLEM. WEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE FIELDS FOR YEARS TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO CONTROL AND BECOMES A LONG TERM OBJECTIVE TO GET RID OF THE WEEDS.

With very littel rainfall and extreme drougth conditions in 2011 weeds have been at a minimum. As a result conditions to spray mesquite have been less than ideal. It was advisable against treating mesquite during the summer of 2011. However, despite the severe drought and lack of weed and brush growth there remains a need for educational programming.
March consisted of our annual Pesticide Aplicators program where license holders could receive up to four continuing credits toward their pesticide applicators license. The program attracted 27 particpants from over a three county area. Noxious weeds and brush control remained as the main topic of discussion and instruction throughout the day.
The Quay Coooperatevie weed management (QCCWMA) program is in effect a driving force in educating residents in weed identification and control. Local Soil, Water Conservation districts have allocated funds to help the Cooperative in efforts of education and the purchasing of equipment for samll acreage producers to use on their respective areas. Total funds amounted to $2500.
Additionally, result demonstration projects have been set up in cooperation with local landowners and NMSU Extension to test marked herbicides on select weed and brush species. Those plants include perennial broomweed, prickly pear cactus, and rayless goldenrod. Continuing projects include mesquite, saltcedar, and cholla cactus.
Fall of 2011 consisted of a cooperative effort with Canadian River Riparian Restoration Program (CRRRP) to treat over 400 acres of Saltceder along the Pajarito Creek Watershed. Funds from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and CRRRP were available to landowners along this watershed for saltcedar treatment. Additionally, QCCWMA spearheaded efforts to treat Rayless Goldenrod in the same areas of the Pajarito. This effort inlcuded educational programming in identification of the plant as well as the effects of toxicity on livestock. Rayless Goldenrod remains a noxious and invading plant crowding out native grass and brush species. Treatment would have to be paid by landowners. This program continues to be an ongoing project with the target treatment of 1000 acres in the Quay County area.