Yellow Starthistle Prevented Thanks to Public Awareness

Teton County Weed and Pest
Erika Wells, Supervisor, 307.733.8419

A first-grader works to match noxious weed pictures and pressed samples with their common and scientific names during a lesson developed by TCWP

In 2002, Teton County Weed & Pest (TCWP) Board of Directors showed their commitment to invasive species education programs by hiring a full-time Education Coordinator. In the nearly three years since this progressive approach to integrated weed management, education programs within the Jackson Hole Weed Management Association (JHWMA) are making a significant impact on residents and visitors.

Whether you are a landowner, hunter, visitor, or student chances are that TCWP and the cooperators within the JHWMA have been working to involve you in the fight against noxious weeds. The JHWMA feels that public education has become essential to the success of future noxious weed programs. There are a variety of reasons that people are drawn to Teton County and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Land managers need the cooperation of the public in order to help reduce the spread of noxious weeds, limit the introduction of new species, and effectively control established infestations.

Education efforts within the JHWMA over the last few years have included the development of lesson plans for Kindergarten through 12th grades, newspaper/radio advertisements, weed tours/pulls, noxious weed poster/essay contests, training programs, wildlife expos, the development of a kids activity book, and the production of a "Why Should I Care?" brochure. The JHWMA and TCWP also have two websites that contain information on weed control specific to the area (www.jhwma.org and www.tcweed.org). Our Education Coordinator, Amy Lerch, has spent time visiting guest ranches, river rafting companies, and landowners. Education has played a key role in getting permission from landowners to access infestations on or near their property.

Thanks to education efforts, landowners have been allowing TCWP crews to access their properties to reach infestations that are about to explode on some of the steepest hillsides in Teton County

Some may wonder if all of this effort has been worthwhile. TCWP has seen a large increase in the number of requests for free noxious weed consultations and in the number of people calling and visiting the office. There has also been a significant increase in the number of reported infestations in backcountry situations. In 2003, a resident who had learned through education efforts that TCWP was looking for unknown infestations reported a 13.5 acre patch of leafy spurge on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Prior to this find, it was believed that less than five acres of leafy spurge were present in Teton County. Thanks to this person taking the initiative and to our education programs, TCWP and forest service crews were able to team up and make two successful treatments that summer, with follow up treatments continuing today.

Public awareness has kept starthistle out of Teton County

Possibly the most important discovery came in the summer of 2004. Thanks again to our education efforts, a visitor to Teton County spotted a yellow starthistle plant at an equestrian center just outside of Jackson. She dug up the plant and delivered it to the TCWP office with directions to its location. The last yellow starthistle to be found in the State of Wyoming was in 1959. No other infestations have been located at this time, making this a critical find not only for Teton County but for all of our neighbors as well. Follow up inspections found no further plants or rosettes, but coordinates were mapped with a Trimble unit. The sample and coordinates were sent to the University of Wyoming. This location will continually be checked for any more plants that may germinate and education efforts with the equestrian center, hay producers, and horse owners will be increased.

Producing publications, running ads, and having staff to lead the efforts can be expensive. However, the public involvement will be critical to our success in the future. Invasive species affect us all and the more people are aware of the problem, the more help and support all of our cooperators will have.