Weed Prevention Areas:
Protecting Montana from Invasive Weeds
A pilot project ponsored by NRCS, NFWF, and CIPM
Range riders are experts at identifying weeds and have GPS experience, so they can assist WPA ranchers with weed surveys. Range riders collect rancher knowledge on weed spread, survey susceptible sites, and help ensure the weed-free state of each WPA ranch. Large weed-free areas are mapped and prioritized for protection from weed spread. Complete 2006 Report. |
Riparian areas are highly susceptible to weed invasion, especially in semi-arid landscapes. Rivers and streams can be corridors of invasion in arid grasslands: water transports weed seeds; infested waterways provide source populations for the invasion of upland sites when conditions are favorable. Land managers should expect riparian area invasion and protect weed-free riparian areas. See full-size announcement.
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New ad enlists hunters in fight against knapweed. A series of newspaper ads will run in Eastern Montana newspapers in fall 2007 to encourage hunters to call local weed districts if they find spotted knapweed. This example is for Blaine County. Larger image (3.2 MB).
Developing Invasive Weed Prevention Areas for Rangeland Ecosystems. Invasive Species Technical Note Number MT-15. NRCS, 2007. Describes how to enlist community support for WPAs through meetings and workshops; covers complete planning process including education, exclusion, detection and eradication, mapping, and ecosystem management components.
A long-term approach to protection of rangelands from weeds is being tested through the Montana Weed Prevention Area Pilot Project at Montana State University, funded by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
WPAs are made up of weed-free landowners who take aggressive action to prevent weed invasion and weed establishment in prioritized weed-free rangelands and critical zones where weeds are advancing.
Weed Prevention Areas are underway across 3.6 million acres in several Montana counties (see map below). (1) Blaine (two WPAs, north and south), (2) Phillips, (3) Garfield (two WPAs), (4) Prairie, (5) Hill, (6) Liberty/ Toole, (7) Teton, (8) Custer, (9) Prairie/Fallon/Wibaux.
For information on starting a Weed Prevention Area, contact Kim Goodwin, MSU project coordinator.
More about Weed Prevention Areas:
"Weeds not welcome here" MSU Extension flyer describing WPAs. Free download; 1-page pdf.
Read the Abstract presented at 2006 Meeting, Western Society of Weed Science
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Click on map numbers or links for photos of WPAs: (1) Blaine (two WPAs), (2) Phillips, (3) Garfield (two WPAs), (4) Prairie, (5) Hill, (6) Liberty/Toole, (7) Teton, (8) Custer, (9) Prairie/Fallon/Wibaux.
Imagecourtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ.
Summary: How WPAs Are Developed in Montana
See Tech Note for full information.
- A regional awareness campaign begins with a call to action.
Advertisements and seasonal messages appear in local and regional newspapers; public service announcements are heard on on local radio.
- County weed leaders work together to identify and delineate high-priority rangelands and critical zones where weeds are advancing.
- Weed-free conditions of WPAs are maintained via rancher-designed plans, specific for each WPA, and formulated via a knowledge network approach.
Plans are presented as a two-page strategy (pdf) with specific, full-color weed alerts for weeds threatening the WPA, including whitetop, houndstongue, leafy spurge, yellow starthistle, knapweed, saltcedar, toadflax. Weed alerts cover I.D., biology, and control. Download or contact MSU Extension Publications for free copies.
- Communication within and among WPAs is improved through listserves and knowledge management systems of retrievable rancher knowledge.
- Efforts are made to secure incentives and permanent funding for local-level early detection/rapid response.
- Guidelines are formulated to coordinate weed prevention, including prevention of weed spread via waterways.
Download 
To improve rapid response in WPAs, Kim is researching the use of detector dogs to locate early infestations of weeds. For more information on detector dogs: 
