UP Project |
The UP Project, in coordination with Montrose County, USFS and BLM, has embarked on Coordinated Weed Management Area (CWMA) Plans for the southwest portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau.
Spotted Knapweed infestation on the Uncompahgre Plateau
The purpose of this effort is to facilitate cooperation among all land managers and private landowners for the mapping, monitoring, control, and prevention of weeds within a WMA. The formation of a CWMA Plan replaces jurisdictional boundaries that can be barriers to proper weed management with natural and more logical boundaries. New boundaries may be a watershed or other geographic feature that better facilitates weed management and control. The success of a collaborative approach is largely determined by the cooperative efforts of the agencies and private landowners involved.
To read about Current News on our Invasive Species Programs, click here.
Advantages of a Collaborative Weed Management Area (CWMA) Plan:
- Encourages cooperation between agencies, private landowners, organizations, and interest groups.
- Increases the effectiveness of weed management by basing control efforts on biological and geographical factors rather than jurisdictional boundaries.
- Creates the most effective and environmentally sound weed management plan for a geographic area.
- Establishes priority weed species within the individual WMA.
- Increases public awareness of the seriousness of invasive species.
- Facilitates the prevention of future weed infestations within the WMA.
- Combines the knowledge and resources of agencies, organizations and individuals involved.
- Develops and implements Best Management Practices that prevent the spread of weeds into the WMA from neighboring areas.
- Offers a channel of communication for everyone involved.
- Provides the ability to secure and pool funds for weed programs.
The first Weed Management Area (WMA) to be developed was the 148,000-acre Horsefly watershed in 2006. In 2007, the efforts moved north and west into the Tabeguache WMA (183,000 acres). Work in the 116,000-acre Paradox WMA began in Winter 2007. (To see a map of these areas, please click here.)
Montrose County, the USFS, the BLM, and The Nature Conservancy received funding from the 2005 Uravan Mill Natural Resources Damage Fund Grant to develop an Integrated Weed Management Strategy for the southwestern portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The UP Project has received additional funding from the National Forest Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Center for Invasive Species Management, BASF, NRCS-EQIP, and EnCana Corporation to develop Coordinated Weed Management Area Plans and Treatment Programs for the area. An exciting aspect of the current grant money awarded is the opportunity to provide a Cost Share Program for private landowners in the West End of Montrose County. (To see a map of the West End, please click here.)