State gets boost in war on weeds

By EVE BYRON - Independent Record Staff Writer

July 29, 2006

In what truly can be called a “grass roots” effort, federal officials have allocated $4 million to fight the spread of noxious weeds in 20 states.
Mark Rey, the Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for natural resources and the environment, announced the grants Friday on the Sieben Ranch near Mullen Pass, west of Helena. The ranch is one of the sites within the Powell County Weed District, which received $122,500, where weed eradication efforts will take place.

“We hope this will develop and strengthen the partnership among landowners, public, private, state and federal ownership, to limit the increase of invasive weeds,” Rey said. “Farmers and ranchers take great care of the land and by working together can maintain this great treasure.”

The money, which is part of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), is being distributed in Montana through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a branch of the Department of Agriculture. Elsewhere in the state, the Jefferson River Watershed Council received $100,000; the Stillwater County weed district will get $122,200 and the Valley County Weed District gets $50,000, for a total of $395,000.

“We want to enhance 40 million acres, primarily on grazing lands, with technical assistance at a grass roots level,” said John Hollenback with the GLCI. “We’re committed to using a voluntary approach and want to keep it that way.

“The importance of grazing lands in Montana can’t be overstated.”
The Conservation Initiative’s slogan is “Cowboy Up with Conservation — It can save your grass” and that’s exactly what rancher Jim Stone hopes to do.

Stone is chairman of the Blackfoot Challenge, a group of private landowners who work with public agencies to keep large landscapes intact and preserve a rural lifestyle. The group is working with the Powell weed district to better educate landowners about noxious weed eradication, and he was “ecstatic” Friday about the influx of funds.

“Noxious weeds are one of the biggest threats to the native prairie and our lifestyle,” Stone said. “This check is the biggest we have seen in Powell County. I can safely say the future of noxious weed education is alive and well.”