Abstract #71: Coordinated Management of Noxious Weeds through GIS Mapping, Education, and Public Involvement

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Loretta Singletary, Jay Davison, Karl Krauter, and Debbie Gilmore, P.O. Box 811, Yerington, NV 89447; 775.463.6541; lsinglet@agnt1.ag.unr.edu


Non-native plants or noxious weeds are a significant threat to rangeland, cropland, and riparian areas in the western US. Tall Whitetop is a noxious weed that is believed to be spreading rapidly along the East and West Forks of the Walker River in northwestern Nevada. Through rapid spread, Tall Whitetop has become prolific in the Truckee/Carson River Basin. Infestation of Tall Whitetop in riparian areas along the Walker River is believed to be at a point where strategic abatement could have a significant impact.

From its headwaters in the Sierra Nevada the Walker River flows almost 160 miles to its terminus in Walker Lake. The river flows through Mono County, California, Lyon and Mineral County, Nevada and the Walker River Paiute Indian Reservation before reaching its terminus at Walker Lake. Residents and visitors rely on the river to sustain recreation, agriculture, and riparian habitat. Lack of understanding of the extent of spread of Tall Whitetop could have devastating effects on agriculture, recreation, and wildlife in the Basin.

Nevada Cooperative Extension (NCE) has initiated a four-step plan to impact the spread of Tall Whitetop in Basin. The steps are:

1. Use a Global Positional System (GPS) unit to build a Geographic Information System (GIS) geo-database representing an inventory of the location and extent of Tall Whitetop infestations in riparian areas. Other noxious weeds, such as Russian Knapweed and Tamarisk, if located, will be included in the inventory.
2. Hold a public forum to educate private landowners and public officials about the spread of Tall Whitetop (and other noxious weeds) using the GIS maps generated. Cost estimates for abatement will be presented also. Facilitate brainstorming sessions to establish a Basin wide weed management strategy.
3. Repeat the mapping step to build a second inventory illustrating the effects of the weed management strategy implemented.
4. Conduct a workshop to demonstrate the effectiveness of the weed management strategy and develop a long-term coordinated weed management program in the Walker River Basin.

This paper reviews the purpose of public involvement in creating noxious weed management strategies that must encompass large, multi-municipal areas. The premise is that noxious weed management can only be successful if citizens within the areas are included from the beginning in a concerted strategy resulting in a coordinated weed management process.

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©copyright, 2000, Center for Forestry, University of California, Berkeley.