OpportunityTitle: BLM-OR Jackson and Josephine Counties Weed Management
Description: Noxious weeds create problems for land managers, whether government agencies, non-profit organizations, or private citizens. They out compete native plants for space, light, water, and nutrients. Some noxious weeds in Jackson and Josephine Counties have taken over hundreds of acres of farmland, forests, roadsides, recreation sites, and disturbed areas. They negatively impact land productivity and habitat for native wildlife, fish, and plants; they clog waterways; and they hinder recreational opportunities. Weeds know no boundaries. Although the BLM has a noxious weed treatment program on BLM-administered lands, unless weeds are managed by adjacent land owners, they will continue to spread and increase across the landscape. To be successful, all landowners need to be informed of the damage noxious weeds cause to natural and managed plant communities. Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA) were created to form partnerships of federal, state, local government agencies, tribes, individuals, and various interested groups that manage noxious weeds or invasive plants in a defined area. CWMAs have often developed positive relationships with these partners and have a successful history of cooperatively managing weeds on a landscape scale across multiple jurisdictions. Partners share a common interest of promoting integrated weed management efforts through education, coordination, and prevention efforts. CWMAs were organized in Jackson and Josephine County approximately 10 years ago. Some of the partners include the BLM, Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Jackson County, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, watershed councils, The Nature Conservancy, Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, and private citizens. The CWMAs have conducted Early Detection, Rapid Response (EDRR) inventories and treatments of several new invaders in the counties; organized and hosted annual weed pulling events; sponsored weed lectures and field trips for the public to increase awareness of the impacts of weeds and teach weed identification; written articles and prepared a weed information insert for newspapers; developed a weed free inspection program for rock quarries, and tabled at a variety of local events and workshops. The CWMAs have successfully applied for and received grant money to focus treatments or outreach for specific noxious weeds. CWMA members share information about their weed efforts in the counties to increase coordination of treatments, raise awareness about problematic weeds, and discuss effective treatments. The objective of this Agreement is to treat and monitor weeds, and other noxious plants, cooperatively across multiple jurisdictions within Jackson and Josephine Counties. This includes prioritizing and targeting undesirable plant species or group of species to be controlled or contained within a specific geographic area; facilitating meetings; coordinating educational events including public weed pulling; developing and disseminating educational materials; coordinating and overseeing weed treatments; and other public outreach as applicable.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: CCS Jackson and Josephine Counties CWMA
GrantorContactText: Grants Management Specialist Sheri Dowley (503) 808-6243&lt;br/&gt;sdowley@blm.gov&lt;br/&gt;