A week for weed awareness

During a week that has been proclaimed National Invasive Species Awareness Week by Governor Mark Gordon, the state’s weed and pest organizations are asking the community to keep its eyes out for invasive species.

“As people head outdoors this summer, we want them to know that a little bit of prevention contributes to a greater effort of keeping Wyoming wild and beautiful,” said Donley Darnell, Wyoming Weed & Pest Council (WWPC) President.

“Invasive insects, noxious weeds and plant diseases cost the U.S. an estimated $40 billion annually in damages to our lakes, forests and farms. They can threaten our state’s economy, food supply, environment and, in some cases, even public health.”

According to the National Wildlife Federation, invasive species are a major threat to native wildlife and ecosystems. Almost 42 percent of endangered or threatened species are believed to be at risk due to the spread.

It’s easy to unintentionally spread invasive species with anything that’s on the move, from boots and shoes to tires, boats, firewood, pets and horses.

According to Crook County Weed & Pest, the invasive species that primarily affect this county include leafy spurge, Canada thistle, spotted knapweed, cheatgrass, common mullein and buffalo bur.

If you spot any of these species on your property, Weed & Pest can assist.

“Some of the first steps when spotting these invasive species would be to take a picture or bring in a sample to us at the Weed & Pest to make sure we correctly identify it,” says Sophie Schwebke, Weed & Pest.

“We would then help find the best chemical solution for private application in smaller transactions. As for the bigger transactions we can put the customer in contact with one of our commercial applicators to efficiently handle any invasive species problems that may occur.”

The Wyoming Weed & Pest Council has meanwhile offered six helpful tips for citizens to help prevent the spread of unwanted plants and insects:

• Clean your shoes, clothes, packs and pets before and after exploring, and stay on designated trails.

• Clean your horse’s hooves and feed them weed-free, certified hay before your adventure.

• Clean, drain and dry your watercraft and angling equipment to “Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers”.

• Don’t move firewood. Buy it where you burn it and buy certified, heat-treated firewood. You can also gather wood on-site when permitted.

• Before traveling to new areas, inspect and clean your trailers, off-road and recreational vehicles with water or compressed air to remove mud, plant parts and hidden pests.

• Take the PlayCleanGo Pledge and invite your family and friends to do the same at PlayCleanGo.org.

In terms of fauna, in Crook County, zebra mussels are known to be a potential threat and Wyoming Game & Fish has been extra vigilant over the last year in an attempt to keep them from spreading over the border from Pactola Reservoir.

Personnel inspected 73,000 watercraft in Wyoming last year, decontaminated 1154 and found mussels on 64 of them. Wyoming remains one of the only states to remain free of the destructive species.

Aquatic Invasive Species check stations are regarded as the first line of defense against invasive species entering the state or being spread between Wyoming’s waters. These range from invasive plants like curly pondweed, which Wyoming does have, to species the state has managed to keep out, like Asian carp and zebra or quagga mussels.

As part of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, webinars will be offered this week from noon to 1.pm., including opportunities for preventing the next plant invasion on Thursday and protecting North American biodiversity from invasive species on Friday. Visit nisaw.org to find out more.