News

Cheatgrass Panel Pros & Cons

STATEWIDE NOXIOUS WEED PANEL DISCUSSION 2020
DESIGNATION OF CHEATGRASS

Participants included multiple state and local agencies, extraction industry representatives, agriculture industry representatives, Weed and Pest Districts, and others.

PROS

CONS

Large portions of the state are cheatgrass free and we have an opportunity to protect these ecosystems & agricultural systems.

Management & treatment options are limited but more are available now than in the past.

There is widespread agreement that cheatgrass is a serious threat. Partners are willing to engage on landscape scale programs that could have large positive impacts.

Awareness levels of invasive annual grasses are high.

Native and agriculture ecosystems are under direct threat and being proactive is important.

Cheatgrass has brought attention to invasive species management challenges of all types.

Listing as a state designated species could bring in more funding though various grant opportunities.

Listing cheatgrass as a state designated species would not directly impact the state seed law as they operate under separate lists.

Many agencies already have cheatgrass management programs.

Long term successful reclamation could be costly & designation may impact bond releases for reclamation activities.

Cheatgrass free seed can be difficult & expensive to acquire for reclamation/restoration projects.

Producing cheatgrass free seed is challenging & expensive for growers.

Accomplishing an effective treatment program can be onerous for private landowners/lessees without funding through landscape scale programs.

Listing (designated or state seed list) may have negative financial impacts on seed growers.

Landscape scale management with mulitiple federal, state and local partners can be challenging.

Listing as a state designated weed would have major impacts on state agency budgets.

PDF

District Storybooks

Preview District Storybooks

The districts are designed to serve the public and are primarily financed by local tax dollars. Depending on the County in which the District is located, a certain percentage of each district’s program is financed by taxes and the remainder is financed by other revenue, including:

  • Custom service with private cooperators
  • Contracts or Cooperative Agreements with state and federal agencies
  • Pesticide sales
  • State appropriated funds
  • Grant funds

Each district is geared to meet specific weed or pest needs in the county. The districts offer:

  • Technical assistance to set up a weed or pest management program using integrated management.
  • Cost-share programs which reduce the cost of managing certain weeds or pests. These programs vary from district to district; check with your district supervisor for details and availability of cost-share programs in your county (designed by the District Boards).
  • Special programs may be established to meet specific local needs. If the problem is significant, some weed or pest species may be classified by law as “declared”.
  • Provide an inspection service to attest your fields meet Wyoming Certification Standards and certify the resulting forages are certified weed-free.
  • Tap the resources of the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council, the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, and various other federal, state, and private organizations.

Although actual daily operations are site-specific to local conditions, the general goals and operating procedures are similar for all Districts statewide.

Each district strives to achieve the best management with minimal environmental damage by employing Integrated Management Systems that take into consideration:

  • The most efficient and effective methods
  • Scientific evidence and current technology
  • Physiology and habitat of the site
  • The economic, social, and ecological consequences of the program
  • The economic considerations

2016 State Educational Video Contest

Sponsored by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council

We need your help! The Wyoming Weed & Pest Council is looking for educational content to help promote the PCG campaign within the state of Wyoming and potentially to a larger national audience. Accordingly we’d like to extend an invitation to the public, all Districts, as well as WWPC employees to create a short video to help us.

The PlayCleanGo campaign is a preventative outreach message that is meant to help elevate the issue of invasive species on a nation-wide scale. The intent is to provide people interacting with the outdoors with a clear call to action to become attentive and accountable for helping stop the spread of invasive plants, animals, insects, and pathogens.

Who: Any Wyoming resident that would like to help stop the spread of invasive species.

What: A 90 second or less video that creatively promotes the concept of PlayCleanGo to the targeted audience of outdoor enthusiasts. The video will need to have a brief introduction slide which includes the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council’s logo as well as the Play Clean Go logo. Additionally, each video is required to have a closing slide that includes the credits for who participated as well as references for any resources that require citation or credit. For ideas on types of messages please visit: www.PlayCleanGo.org

When: Videos will be due to the Education Committee by October 14, 2016 – so that they can be judged at the WWPC’s Fall Conference. Video delivery can be coordinated with Luke Sander luke@scweeds.com

Why: The winning video will receive $600, the next two runners up will receive $300, and the next two after that will receive $150 a piece. And of course, you’ll be elevating the issue of invasive species while helping educate the recreating public on how they can ‘stop invasive species in their tracks.’

If you have any questions, please contact Luke Sander – 307-672-3740