Working together to strengthen and support noxious weed management efforts in Montana.
The Montana Department of Agriculture is proposing to adopt an administrative rule that establishes a management area of Eurasian watermilfoil.
Eurasian watermilfoil is a priority 1B noxious weed in Montana and currently found in the Noxon and Cabinet Gorge reservoirs.
Download a copy of the Dept of Agriculture letter proposing EWM management area and details on the public hearing June 3.
Visit our weed ID page and library for more information on Eurasian watermilfoil.
Today the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) announced it is protesting the elimination of virtually all funding for weed science from the federal budget. If the budget moves forward as proposed, critical work impacting food and water supplies and our natural ecosystems will remain unfunded.  Joining WSSA in an appeal to USDA to restore the funding were the Aquatic Plant Management Society, North Central Weed Science Society, Northeastern Weed Science Society, Southern Weed Science Society and Western Society of Weed Science
Download a copy of the WSSA press release with full details.
A crew shows up to help Stillwater County.
As many of you are aware Stillwater County Weed District recently discovered an outbreak of Yellow Starthistle. As part of our immediate call to action we hosted a weed pull on April 22 at the reported location. We were very appreciative to the many counties who participated in this event. The day was a typical Montana spring day but we were able to accomplish all that we had hoped. In fact we gathered a total of 28 garbage bags of old plants. I would especially like to express my gratitude to all those who took time away from their busy schedules to come together for some friendly conversation and hard work. With your help as well as a the concerned land owners of Stillwater County we have great hopes of successful control, management and eradication of our unwanted guest.
Stacy Barta finishes another bag of yellow starthistle.
Jim Visser
Stillwater Weed Coordinator
PO Box 795
Columbus, MT 59019
406-322-1106 office
406-321-3355 cell
The awards committee has developed a new nomination process. This year all nomination letters will be sent to the MWCA office by November 1, 2010. The MWCA office will compile packets to be sent to the awards nominations work group to vote on the nominees. This work group will be comprised of the annual conference planning committee, the awards sub work group, the area representatives and any other member of the MWCA who wishes to be a part of the process. The work group will have two weeks to review their packets and submit their ballots back to the MWCA office for a final tally. The MWCA office and the awards chair person will secure awards for the nominees who receive the most votes. The awards will then be given at the annual conference.
If you wish to join this work group and participate in the nomination process, please contact Becky. Please don’t forget that we have nine awards categories and we hope as you work through this weed season, that you nominate those great weed warriors out there.
Stillwater County has a confirmed infestation of Yellow Starthistle, it is in Columbus and is scattered over 10 acres, could be more but we won’t know for sure until spring/summer when it starts to grow.
If you are looking for more information on this invader download a copy of the MSU Extension publication “Watch Out for Yellow Starthistle.”
This could be your photo in 2011
It is time once again to collect photos for the 2011 MWCA Scenic Calendar. Last year we had over 200 photos submitted by our members. We had some awesome photos by members who were amateur photographers! If you would be interested in submitting photos, here is the criteria this year:
We especially would like to receive scenic photos from eastern Montana this year!  Photos need to be submitted by May 15th. The MWCA Education Committee will select photos after that date. 14 photos are needed for this calendar, again depicting seasons and the diversity of Montana. Winners will receive 25 calendars for each photo chosen for the calendar and of course name recognition in the calendar.  Photos can be emailed to becky.kington@mtweed.org (if they are high resolution, please only send 3 or less at a time) or CD’s with digital photos can be mailed to M.W.C.A. P.O. Box 315, Twin Bridges, MT 59754. Contact Becky if you have any questions.
We have a copy of the newest Montana Noxious Weed List and a weed brief, explaining the Priorities and the reason for the change. You will notice that Russian olive is not listed as the Department of Ag will be sending a survey to the County Commissioners in each county requesting where they feel it should be listed if at all. The letter will be coming from the Director of the Department of Agriculture and should be sent out in the near future. Please include this list in your management plans.
If you have any questions or comments please contact Dave Burch at 444-3140 or dburch@mt.gov.2010-
In January, Dave Burch (MDA), Jed Fitch (Beaverhead County Attorney), Scott Bockness (Yellowstone County Weed) and Harold Blattie (MACo) all presented to the Environmental Quality Council a request to have the weed act undergo a legislative review. It has been 25 years or so since the act was put on the books and MWCA, MDA and MACo all felt that it was time to take a hard look at the current weed act and implement some necessary changes. Weed coordinators from across the state responded that there needed be clarification in municipality responsibilities, wording dealing with organic farmers and ranchers, and clarification in dealing with state and federal agencies, and constitutionality among other things. Take a look at the actual letter submitted to EQC.
Council members asked several questions, but given their work load and the fact that they felt the group had already identified areas of revision, they asked Dave Burch with MT Dept of Ag to create a work group to begin addressing the changes in the act. They felt possible legislation could be ready for the next session and then, if a legislative review was warranted, they would consider it.
Dave Burch and MDA will be working to solicit individuals to sit in on this work group based on the criteria in a study bill, which is as follows:
For more information on the progress and status of this group, please contact Dave Burch at dburch@mt.gov or 444 – 3140 .
One of the highlights each year at the annual conference is the awards banquet. This year’s award nominees came from all corners of the state.  Congratulations to this year’s winners.
Weed Stopper of the Year – Mark Petroni & Peter Lesica
Youth Award – Logan McNeil, Lewis & Clark County 4-H
Outstanding Industry Representative – Jim Gordon, Crop Production Services
Monumental Sew-up of the Year – Dan Dobler
Barb Mullin Lifetime Achievement – Fred King, FWP
Agency Weed Fighter – Gil Gale, USFS
Weed District of the Year – Terry Turner, Hill County
Outstanding Commissioner – Ken Ronish, Fergus County Weed
Outstanding Weed Board Member – Bill Michaels, Jr, Yellowstone County
Weed Fighter of the Year – Diana Ericson, Buxton
Weed Fighters United – Smith River Habitat Project
To find out more about these awards visit our Scholarship and Awards page.
Here is your chance to influence the direction the MWCA takes. If you have concerns, if you would like to see change, if you want to get involved just to see how the inner wheels of this organization works, join a MWCA committee or work group! We have 10 different committees and groups at this time, won’t you take a moment to look those over and please consider joining? We ask all of our board members to commit to one group and we encourage our members to be involved. If any of these groups or committees interest you and you wish to join, or if you have further questions, please contact Becky at 684-5590 or becky.kington@mtweed.org.