BIOLOGICAL definition of an invasive exotic BIOLOGICAL definition of an invasive exotic

NOXIOUS WEED - any plant regulated by a NOXIOUS WEED - any plant regulated by a

governmental bodygovernmental body

A WEED is any plant you don’t want

Characteristics of Invasive WEEDS

1. NON-NATIVE

2. INVASIVENESS

3. COMPETITIVENESS

4. PERSISTENCE

5. AGGRESSIVENESS

• Land use is changing

• Weed spread over the past 100 years in MT

• ECOLOGICAL and ECONOMIC impacts of

invasive weeds

Understand the Seriousness

of Invasive Weeds

Land use is changing

• Increasing Public and Wildland Interface• Increasing Recreation Use• Increasing Human Movement/Transportation

• reduce habitat for fish, wildlife and livestock

• choke out native plant species, threaten sensitive species

• increase soil erosion and stream sedimentation

• limit recreational opportunities

• cost millions of dollars each year

IMPACTS! OF INVASIVE WEEDS

WHY DO ANYTHING?

$ECONOMIC –$35 billion/year in costs/ damages(US)

$- SFPWMA partners spent over $200,000 this year controlling weeds primarily in Flagstaff and adjacent highways and forests

$- MONTANA - $42 million is costs and damages for one weed species

Silently sneaking across boundaries, noxious weeds cost Montanans millions of dollars each year.

Knapweed InfestationsTotal Direct and SecondaryAnnual Economic Impacts

$42.107 million

1925 1950

1975 TODAY

spotted knapweed in MT

KNAPWEED in N. AZKNAPWEED in N. AZ

• Ground disturbing projectsGround disturbing projects

• Sensitive and endangered Sensitive and endangered

species habitatspecies habitat

•High intensity fires High intensity fires

•High-use Recreation sitesHigh-use Recreation sites

• Road construction, Road construction,

reconstruction, & reconstruction, &

maintenancemaintenance

What is at risk?

Propagules of Regeneration

• SEEDS– FLOWERS

– SOIL SEEDBANK

– RE -VEGETATION

• ROOTS

– SOIL

DISTURBANCE

– SOILS

TRANSFER

Pathways of Pathways of IntroductionIntroduction

•ON SITE SOURCES– PLANT MATERIAL

– SEED BANK

•OFF-SITE SOURCES– SOIL/FILL MATERIALS

– EQUIPMENT

– REVEGETATION/ MULCHING

•COORDINATION

Pathways of Pathways of IntroductionIntroduction

TRAINS

NURSERY PLANTS

HAY

PRODUCE

TRUCKS

TOURISTS

Construction

Equipment

FIRE

RISK ASSESSMENT

• Pre – Field Review

• Field Reconnaissance

• RISK RATING– Risk Rating = Likelihood x Consequence– Likelihood = The likelihood that weeds will

establish in project area.– Consequence = The consequence of weeds

establishing in project area.