COMBINING
FORCES
Combining
Forces Contents:
CITY/TOWN
PROGRAM PLANNING:
We held meetings with all representatives
that are in charge of controlling noxious weeds. Working with them to
develop programs, we assisted each city financially. Training on
calibration of equipment and rates of herbicides was provided, along
with recommendations on new herbicides to use for site-specific weeds to
be more efficient and cost effective.
INSPECTION
OF ALL PLATS/DEVELOPMENTS:
Part of our education process for new
landowners and sites, includes performing an on-site inspection before
the land gets disturbed and causes Noxious weeds to infest areas. We
develop plans that homeowner associations must comply with (all roads
sides must be sprayed and re-seeded to prevent the spread of noxious
weeds). We are part of the Planning Department’s Comment Process for
all new short plats and developments in Okanogan County. These new sites
are required to submit an action plan for weed control in the long-term
to our office.
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COUNTY
ROAD DEPARTMENT:
In 1999, the Noxious Weed Board assumed
the responsibility for application and seeding where needed on the road
Right-of-Way’s (ROW) in the Northeast portion of our County.
Developing a program to benefit the landowners of Okanogan County,
Public Works Spray Department is required to control their weeds in the
full right-of-way. For County road right-of-ways
information call Bill Nearents, Supervisor for County weed control at
509-422-4610.
STATE
AGENCIES:
We work with the Washington
State Department of Transportation spray applicators to control and
re-seed their full right-of-way. Enforcement action is applied to
non-compliance for weed control. For information concerning DOT
road right-of-ways call Supervisor Dan Gates at 509-826-7364.
Department of Game; we
conduct inspections with the managers to discuss the plans in
coordinating a weed management strategy on State lands, as required by
State Law RCW 17.10. One of our goals is for adequate funding for
all 3 management areas for weed control. Okanogan County has 3
management areas for State land under 3 different managers.
For information call: Jim Olson,
509-826-4430 for Chesaw, Scotch Creek, and Tunk Wildlife Areas.
Dale Swedburg, 509-223-3358 for Sinlahekin
and Chiliwist Wildlife Area. Jim Mountjoy,
509-997-2559, for Methow Wildlife Area.
Department of Natural Resources
staff is working close with our office and inspectors for more
compliance with leases and land they manage. The local DNR staff works
with many landowners on weed control plans plus completes integrated
control treatments throughout our County on State land they manage.
There are two management areas: North Highlands Camp,
contact Buck Sylvester 509-223-4592; South County Area, contact Brian Derting
509-684-7474 or 1-800-527-3305
FEDERAL
AGENCIES:
- The Colville Confederated Tribe
hires by contract, our Scotch Thistle hand-pull crew each year to
perform up to $20,000.00, work on the Colville Reservation. We
are meeting with the Tribal council to develop weed control programs
for their landowners and report to them the condition of
infestations of Class A and Class B Noxious Weeds.
- U.S.D.A., Okanogan National Forest.
We
organized and conducted Federal tours with USFS supervisors, the
public and Legislatative Representatives for on-site inspections and
discussion concerning funding spent for on the ground weed control
and management activities. Contacts for the U.S. Forest Service
are: Mel Bennett, Okanogan National Forest,
509-826-3164; Dean Mc Sedridge, Methow Ranger District,
509-996-4003; Carol Ogilive, Tonasket Ranger District,
509-486-5119
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RAILROADS:
Railroad right-of-way: we
conducted an on-site inspection with the new manager and wrote a 5 year
plan to clean up the ROW and re-seed to prevent infesting adjacent
landowners. For information and contacts, call; Cascade & Columbia
River RR, at 509-826-3752 for Buck Workman.
QUAD
COUNTY COMMITTEE:
We meet on a regular basis with 4 other
Counties and several Federal agencies to develop weed strategies and
plans for the most efficient use of Federal funds and updates on what
other Weed Boards in these Counties are accomplishing and new weeds
invading. We are contributors to hiring a full-time biological
coordinator to gather and distribute bio-agents (insects) in Okanogan
County. He is also responsible to file reports, maps and make
presentations to the local Weed Boards. See Web Page for Control Methods
under Bio-Control for more
information.
CANADA:
We are presently members of a committee
developing a Noxious weed office and manager for B.C. We have provided
much training and information on weeds and policy programs to get them
started. We are working on an agreement with Canada to apply a buffer
strip for our landowners that are adjacent to the border. The past two
years they have worked with our hand-pull crew across
the border to hand-pull the musk thistle at our expense.
WEEDS ACROSS BORDERS:
Weeds Across Borders Coordinated Weed
Management Area Project partners are Okanogan County Noxious Weed
Control Board, Washington State Department of Transportation, Cascade
and Columbia River Railroad, South Okanagan-Similkameen Weed
Committee, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation, Boundary Weed
Management Committee and British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Fisheries. To develop a long term management programs that will
assist in preventing invasive noxious weed seed source from further
infesting both Canada and US through traveled waterways, railways and
highways.
HELICOPTER
PROGRAM:
The Weed Office organizes and develops
the aerial spray program on rangeland for the Cattlemen’s Association.
Landowners do not pay for Weed Board personnel, maps, phone contacts, or
travel costs. Plus, landowners and ranchers are able to control many
more acres of noxious weeds with this program at a reduced bid price.
This program only lasts approximately 6 weeks in the Spring, April
through May. As a result, we are also seeing a large reduction of
Knapweed on rangeland.
You can contact our Noxious Weed Office
for more information at 509-422-7165.
DOUGLAS
COUNTY P.U.D:
This PUD has begun spraying their
wildlife habitat areas as a result of the persistent persuasion from one
of our Weed Office Inspectors.
SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS:
We have been requested many times to be
guest speakers for other agencies, community groups and/or counties on
noxious weeds and our programs. This is very important to us, because we
believe in our programs and the job we do for our Okanogan County.
Education is the ‘Key’ to success and changing with new updated
techniques.
Remember, ALL OUR INFORMATION IS FREE:
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