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Show B1 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 iww um.t awni iihi mnwi i r I iP fj Minimizing the effects of noxious weeds by Mary Bernard Express Writer They line the roadsides and river banks and cover the pasture lands and fields. They are springtime blossoms in a colorful profusion of pink, lavender, and white. But these are far from innocent bloomers, these are noxious weeds and unwelcome guests. Some of these plants were introduced by accident while others were deliberately brought to the Basin. Dubbed 'noxious weeds' these plants will out compete com-pete native species to the detriment of the habitat. If noxious weeds gain ground in a pasture the can cause tremendous harm to the forage and contribute to economic loss. Some are toxic to livestock. Any one of the weeds depicted here can threaten wildlife and human health, not to mention the public costs involved in their eradication. "Noxious weeds affect everyone," says the Uintah County Weed Department website, "farmers, ranchers, ranch-ers, developers, gardeners, bikers, hunters, fishers, aviators or travelers...they can reduce crop quality and quantity, puncture tires, create fire hazards, destroy de-stroy wildlife habitat, increase soil erosion, damage water quality, create travel hazards, destroy property values and injure livestock among other things." It is estimated that one out of 10 plant species is a non-native plant that has established itself in the our region. Given their fast-growing adaptability, they are capable of such rapid expansion. Weeds are more than unsightly, they are unlawful. unlaw-ful. Uintah County Code mandates the control of noxious and invasive weeds under law. Property owners whose pastures and yards are choked with weeds can be fined but it is customarily for agents to work on solutions rather than penalties. Weed control is everyone's responsibility as it does no good county agents to clear one lot while the adjacent one remains a weed patch. Some of the local offenders are pictured here, but many other weedy invaders propagate throughout the Basin. So crucial is the "war on weeds" that the county is partnered with other weed control entities, including Duchesne and Dagget counties, the Natural Natu-ral Resource Conservation Service, the Utah State University Extension Service, the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service - Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, Utah Department of Transportation, the Dinosau- 7Vi ... "- 'j K ' :- r i 1 -A, Y Y i 4v, c if ' r - i. Russsian Knapweed, a noxious weed, given the opportunity to flourish will overrun pastures and range lands. Not only does this weed out compete native vegetation, it is toxic to animals.. This is a perennial that develops in dense stands with new plants forming from shoots. It grows one foot to 18 inches in height and flowers with pink or lavender blooms. A native plant from Eurasia Russian Knapweed was probably introduced in contaminated seed shipments. Like Spotted Knapweed this plant prefers to spread in colonies. It is difficult to eradicate once colonies are established. Both chemical and mechanical methods have been used with success in managing its proliferation. In Myton and Dinosaur National Monument ranchers have used goats and sheep to feed on the early shoots of Russian Knapweed. Once grazed, herbicides are applied to the plant stems, which take up the chemical pushing it deep into woody stem. This eradication process pro-cess uses less chemical; roughly 25 percent, and leaves less environmental impact as a result. Photo credit to Weeds of the West. Perennial Pepperweed, a noxious weed, is also known as whitetop invades cropland and irrigation ditches. Like many other noxious weeds, this plant will displace native species spe-cies and will threaten wildlife habitat. Often called "whitetop" grows anywhere that ground disturbance has trapped water like ditches, plowed and fallow ground or roadsides. In " the Ufntah Basin, whitetop infests the banks of Ashley Creek area from Steinaker Dam to the Green River, especially in the areas where water rests. A similar problem has arisen in the Tridell area and since its accidental introduction in-troduction it appears to have thrived. Dense clusters of whitetop grow to the exclusion of other plant species making this noxious weed difficult to control. In Tridell, the weed board has used aerial and ground sprayers to control the spread of the plant over the last few years. Photo credit to Weeds of the West. Y i .' ' , ' " " is to. Russian Olive was brought from Europe as a decorative tree but without management this tree propagates profusely crowding out native species. These were introduced in the 19th century as ornamental plants. Ironically, a ditch rider once told me that the irrigaters sometimes planted the trees to stabilize the ditch banks. Once the trees become established they are prolific reproducers, which can choke waterways water-ways and pastures. Russian Olive is common along the canals and ditches throughout the Basin, although persistent eradication efforts have gained a foothold in some areas recently. Removal requires chemical, mechanical and other means to be effective. Usually, the trees are cut, sprayed with herbicide and later, the stumps are burned. Cutting and dragging the stumps only serves to propagate the weed as suckers willgrow from the remnant root system. This is a tenacious weed in every sense of the word. Photo credit to Weeds of the West. Cheat Grass, or Downy Chess, is an invasive species that out competes native grasses in dryland pastures. It is associated with the rapid spread of wildland fire and increased costs from fire suppression. Perhaps no other weed is more pervasive than Cheat Grass, or downy brome, which grows in purple profusion profu-sion along highways and trails throughout the Basin. Introduced from the Mediterranean, Cheat Grass prefers the arid climate of the West. The plant is spread easy overtaking pastures quickly as it propagates in disturbed soils. Livestock will consume the plant in the spring when it is green but as it dries it is more than a nuisance - it is a serious fire hazard. Rather than control the spread of this plant, Cheat Grass spreads more sharply with fire. Lands burned over by last year's wildfires are endangered by the spread of this weed. Mechanical methods to control Cheat Grass can be used to keep pastures weed free. The Utah Department of Agriculture has received $2.5 million in funding to purchase grass seed to rehabilitate burned grazing lands in advance of the Cheat Grass invasion. Photo credit to Weeds of the West. rland Resource Conservation and Development, the USDI National Park Service - Dinosaur National Monument, as well as tribal, municipal and private companies through out the Basin. The partnership has developed weed programs to control noxious and invasive weeds. The county weed department, 364 S. 1500 E., Vernal, can be contacted at 789-1073 ext 11 Milt Billings, weed supervisor or 789-1073 ext 12 for Nate Belliston, assistant as-sistant weed supervisor. Their websit e can Individual can participate with the department in a cost-share program for weed management. "If the Weed Department personnel sprays a person's property, they offer a 50 percent break from the cost of herbicides," says Billings. "In terms of acreage, property measuring one or less acres is $15 a year; one to 10 acres is $25 a year, 10 to 40 acres is $100 a year, and anything over 40 acres is $150 a year." Other costs and options are available through the department for individuals as well as companies. Remember, weed control is essential for the protection protec-tion of wildlife habitat, agricultural lands and public health. And the county applauds your efforts. h f Y v ' ' Y V , Vi V : Spotted Knapweed is a pervasive weed which is resistant to chemical control or physical removal. Like its cousin Russian Knapweed it inhibits the growth of competing vegetation including crops and pasture grasses. It is a perennial plant that grows one to three feet tall with purple thistlelike flowers. Originally, from Eurasia; spotted knapweed prefers to grow in dispersed stands, pushing out native plants. Removal efforts take action similar to that used to control Russian Knapweed, but given the nature of its reproduction chemicals are most effective. On Diamond Mtn just north of Matt Warner reservoir, an infestation of Spotted Spot-ted Knapweed is being treated by aggressive chemical weed control efforts. This has taken several years and without it hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat and livestock grazing lands would endangered. Photo credit to Weeds of the West. i .i " v'! i i 1 J i i . I. UK ' 1 V 1 1 Saltcedar, or tamarisk, was introduced to the country from Eurasia. It was brought in as an ornamental tree. It has spread abundantly along the floodplain of the Green and Yampa rivers drinking up as much as 200 gallons of water per plant per day. Saltcedar is as persistent per-sistent as Russian Olive in its propagation. It grows in dense stands along the Green River, creating an enclosed canopy to the exclusion of native species or grasses. They are known for consuming more water than most trees and a mature plant can drink well more than its share. It propagates by seed, rhizomes and cuttings. Because of its strong reproductive ability and absence of natural enemies, Saltcedar is considered a weedy botanical pest. Efforts to control saltcedar include the traditional mechanical and chemical chemi-cal techniques and also biological eradication. Saltcedar trees have been chopped out of the banks and the remaining trunks were then painted with herbicide. More recently, tamarisk beetles were added to the removal repertoire. The beetle is a natural enemy of saltcedar consuming its leaves and bark until it is virtually barren. Tamarisk beetles were brought to stands on the Green River below Vernal and within Dinosaur National Monument Monu-ment in a cooperative experitmental program. Photo credit to Weeds of the West C&ntnvimlty Don't face cancer alone. Call 800-ACS-2345 or log on to www.cancer.org 247 for information or to find free services available in the Uintah Basin. March Golden Age Center Dances, 155 S. 100 W. Vernal. Every Friday night 8 to 10 p.m. Kays Band, all are welcome. Winter Kundalini Yoga classes. Wednesdays 12-12:45 12-12:45 p.m. & 6-7:30 p.m. Call Margaret 781-8711 for more information. TOPS club meets in Vernal City offices, 447 East Main, on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Ten Star All Star Basketball Camp. Call (704) 373-0873 for brochure or visit www. tenstarcamp.com. 17th Annual Uintah Basin Local Artists Show, Western Heritage Museum, 328 E. 200 S., March 4-28. Call 789-7399. 789-7399. 12-Step Recovery Program, meets Thursday, 7 to 8 p.m. at 2100W. Hwy 40. Open and anonymous. Call 790-7917. March 19 Sue Ann Buraston, housing specialist with Uintah County & Vernal City, will speak at 2 p.m., Golden Age Center,155 S. 100 W., Vernal. Call Diane 790-2966 for info. Free and open to the public. March 19-20 NIMS Training for 300 ICS, at UBATC Center, Roosevelt, Room C7 Runs 4 to 10 p.m. Contact Michelle Miller, Uintah County Emergency Manager:mmiller co.uintah.ut.us to sign-up March 20 Teen Flashlight Hunt-Uintah Hunt-Uintah Recreation District Easter Hunt for teens. At Remember the Main Park, 7:30 p.m. pre-event activities with hunt.at 8:30 p.m. Free, for teens 13-18, but bring a flashlight. Beginning genealogy at the Vernal Family History Center, 7 p.m. Hazel Bentley, teacher, call 789-3618. 789-3618. March 21 District Scouting Recognition Banquet, at the Vernal LDS Ward Cultural Hall, 250 N. 200 E., at 6:30 p.m. March 22 Easter Egg Hunts -Naples Park, 9 a.m. call 781-1100, or the Elks Lodge call Jay Kerlin 781-1199. 781-1199. Contacts for Egg Hunts in Altamont (454-3469), (454-3469), Duchesne (738-2426), (738-2426), and Tabiona (848-5417). (848-5417). Rocky Mountain Elk Banquet at Western Park, 302 E. 200 S., Vernal. Easter Egg Hunt-Elks Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt at the Baseball Complex by Vernal Junior High School. 10 a.m. March 25 Writing a personal history-memory joggers-Part joggers-Part 1, 5:15 p.m. Karen Coombs, teacher at the Family History Center AND organizing you genealogy research, 7 p.m. Hazel Bentley, teacher, call 789-3618. Hosting m event? Post it for free on our community calendar at Each office Is independently owned and operated. . yr ri vAtr.iui wnvn. V i a Portlon :, f nf flwru wlp i Y J donated to the - r 1820 West 1 Children's Miracle V Vernal, Utah ! Hwy. 40, Ste F ' Network. I 435-781-2500 j Outstanding Agents. Outstanding Results j LJ Mary Lou Dixon 790 0529 i $ -kit T : Y'" j 2 bedroom, 1 bath, great In-town locationl Mother-in-law apartment also with this home! Could be separate rental unit. Call Mary Lou for details! 4 , A. t f Beautiful brick home near walking park! 3 bedroom, 1.75 bath, newer kitchen, hardwood floor, newer carpet, gas heat, central air, above-ground swimming pool, covered deck! All this and so much more. Call Maty Lou for more Information! .. j ! liiAJ Arlene Thomson 828-5573 )MfHf;a:! Great potential for this 1 acre piece of commercial land in the heart of the retail district. Located across from Walmart and just behind the newly proposed hotel. Call Arlene today at 828-5573 for more information. |
