GREYBULL, Wyo. (June 26, 2023) – Boundaries and borders don’t matter to invasive species, as they’ll spread wherever possible. But The Big Horn County Weed and Pest District is starting a new weed program to fight invasive species in Devil’s Canyon in both Wyoming and Montana, including Bighorn National Forest, Crow Tribal Lands, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), state land, and privately owned lands.
Covering roughly 200,000 acres, this project primarily targets two invasive annual grass species: ventenata and medusahead. These grasses have not yet been found in Big Horn County, Wyoming, but have been identified across the state line in Montana. Spotted knapweed, whitetop, and houndstongue are other species of concern.
Big Horn County has worked to limit the spread of these species in the past, by working with federal, state, and tribal partners.
Porter Jones, assistant supervisor for Big Horn County Weed and Pest, manages this new project.
“We’ve never been able to tackle the whole drainage like we’re able to now. It’s a big deal,” Jones stated. “Many of these treatments are taking place on private lands, federal and state grounds, and the Crow reservation. To be successful, we need to do more projects like this,” Jones said.
Ventenata and medusahead spread quickly and can be challenging to control. They reduce the growth of native plants and have no forage or habitat value for native wildlife or livestock. If left untreated, these invasive weeds can completely change landscapes.
Over the next few years, Big Horn County will use drones, utility terrain vehicle (UTV) sprayers, and backpack sprayers to manage the weeds each summer and fall.
“We hope that we can eradicate any of the annual grasses we find and reduce other invasive weeds to a manageable level,” said Cliff Winters, Big Horn County Weed and Pest supervisor. “Our goal is to do a similar project in every major watershed across the western face of the Big Horns,” Winters said.
For tips to stop the spread of invasive species or for information about Wyoming Weed and Pest Council, visit wyoweed.org and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council
Wyoming Weed and Pest Council (WWPC) is comprised of 23 Weed and Pest Districts in the state of Wyoming. The Council works closely with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and the University of Wyoming to keep current with the latest technology and research available in the ongoing management of noxious weeds and pests. The overall mission is to provide unified support and leadership for integrated management of noxious weeds and pests to protect economic and ecological resources in the state.
