1. Invasive Plant Management
K. Launchbaugh
K. Launchbaugh
S. Bunting
REM Integrated Rangeland Management

2. Why Care? The spread of invasive plant and weeds:
Signal the decline of entire ecological watersheds.
Severely impact the beauty and biodiversity of natural areas and cause widespread economic losses.
Problem for urban as well as rural areas, and for private, state, and federal lands.
Invasive plants and weeds spare no segment of society—rancher, farmer, fisher, and cycler alike
Can’t leave well enough alone - when unmanaged, they spread rapidly, unceasingly, and silently.

3. Invasive Species – more than just plants
Animals
Microbes (fungi, bacteria, etc.)
Viruses (i.e., diseases)
Invasive Species Website =

4. Terminology – Invasives &Weeds
Need to distinguish between several terms:
Weed
Noxious Weed
Exotic, Alien, Introduced or Nonindigenous
Invasive Plant

5. What is a Weed? Plant of little value Plant “out of place”
Species that competes with crops and native species
Troublesome pest that affects the health an productivity of native landscapes
“Plants that interfere with the growth of desirable plants and that are unusually persistent and pernicious. They negatively impact human activities and as such are undesirable” Ross & Lembi – Applied Weed Science. 1999
K. Launchbaugh

6. Noxious Weed
“Noxious” simply means deleterious, and all weeds are deleterious by definition.
When “Noxious” is applied to weeds it has a specific meaning
The plant that have been designated “noxious” by law – the Noxious Weed Act of 1974.
Weeds are declared NOXIOUS by counties, regions, states or the U.S.
K. Launchbaugh

7. Noxious Weed Law
Requires several basic actions for Local, State & Federal agencies:
Designate adequately trained person to oversee weed control programs
Establish budgets for weed control
Establish process for cooperative agreements among land owners.
Individuals must control noxious weeds on their land or face fines

8. An Example - Idaho’s Noxious Weeds
Criteria for designation of a noxious weed:
It must be present in but not native to Idaho.
It must be potentially more harmful than beneficial to Idaho.
Eradication must be economically and physically feasible.
The potential adverse impact of the weed must exceed the cost of control.
K. Launchbaugh
K. Launchbaugh

9. Idaho’s Noxious Weeds
These weeds are designated into three levels of concern.
Early-Detection, Rapid-Response (EDRR)
Control
Containment
The spread of these weeds and the damage they cause can be lessened through proper identification and handling.

10. Idaho’s Noxious Weeds Idaho's Noxious Weeds, 9th Edition
Covers all 67 weeds on Idaho's official noxious weeds list.

11. Exotic, Alien, Introduced or Nonindigenous
Not from ‘round here’”
Not native to a region and have been brought in either by accident or for a specific purpose.
On Purpose or Accidentally
Idaho has about 800 exotic plants and hundreds of introduced crops and ornamental plants.

12. How Weeds Got Here?
Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions.
Grains and Feeds
Ship Ballast and Shipping Contents
Ornamentals
Erosion Control
Forage Value
Photos by K. Launchbaugh

13. What is an Invasive Plant?
Invasive species will out-compete native species, spread and dominate wildland plant communities.
Exhibit “weedy” or aggressive growth characteristics
Can be grasses, forbs, shrubs, or trees
Native or exotic
S. Bunting

14. Characteristics of Invasive Plants
Abundant seed producers
Rapid population establishment
Long-term survival of seeds
Occupy disturbed sites
Competitive
Lack of natural enemies
K. Launchbaugh

15. Why are Weeds Bad… or Good
Ecological
Socioeconomic
Positive Impact
Negative Impact

16. Why are Weeds Bad… or Good
Ecological
Socioeconomic
Positive Impact
Negative Impact
Reduced native plant diversity
Reduce forage for livestock & wildlife
Accelerate erosion
Altered fire regimes
Provide forage & cover
Erosion protection
Pollinator resources
Weed control jobs
Medicines & honey
Foster collaboration
Cost of weed control
Create conflict among neighbors
Health impacts of weeds & herbicides

17. Ecological Impact Plant Diversity Animal Diversity USFWS J. Peterson
Tom Koerner_USFWS
J. Hankins-Smith
J. Peterson
K. Launchbaugh
Tom Koerner/USFWS

18. Ecological Impact Soil Integrity Water Cycling
J. Corbett
Artoland (flickr)
Nutrient cycling, energy flow

19. Socioeconomic Impacts
Costs for:
Weed Control
Fire Suppression
BLM.gov
Rehabilitation
BLM.gov
BLM.gov

20. Socioeconomic Impacts
Recreation Losses
Forage Losses
USDA-USFS
BLM
BLM.gov
USDA
J. Peterson
BLM.gov

21. Land Management & Invasion
Range Plants -- OBJ 2: PPT
Land Management & Invasion
The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
There are 16 slides in this presentation

22. Maintain Healthy Natural Plant Communities
Sheley, R.L. T.J. Svejcar, B.D. Maxwell and J.S. Jacobs Healthy Plant Communities: Ecologically Based Rangeland Weed Management. Montana State University Mont Guide #MT

23. Being Proactive Prevention Early Detection
Consider vectors of introduction
Develop plans to minimize introduction
Minimize disturbances that may favor weeds
Early Detection
Develop strategy for early detection
Eradicate when possible

24. Land Planning With Weeds
Weed Survey
Collect information about weed biology and ecology
Document growth requirements
Identify sites susceptible to invasion
Evaluate progress of weed management plan
Justin Trujillo

25. Land Planning With Weeds
Weed Mapping
Delineate extent
Document control activities
Monitor spread overtime
Image Karen Launchbaugh

26. Monitoring and Evaluation
Was weed population adequately suppressed?
Was cost of suppression acceptable?
What were non-target effects?
Should treatment be repeated or modified?
Were land management goals met?
Justin Trujillo

27. Integrated Weed Management
Cultural
J. van Dulen(flick)
Biocontrol
Chemical
S. Lucas(flickr)
A. Al-Ibrahlm(flcikr)
BLM.gov
Mechanical
Weed Control
M.Wilson(flickr)
Gary & Anna Sattler(flickr)

28. Coordinated Weed Management
Develop plans across land ownerships
Leverage resources
Time
Equipment
Money
Expertise
Apply for state and federal funds
K. Launchbaugh

29. It’s not only about the Weed It’s about the Land
USDA-ARS Tony Svejcar
K. Launchbaugh

30. Invasive Plant Management
K. Launchbaugh
K. Launchbaugh
S. Bunting
REM Integrated Rangeland Management