As
our nation celebrates the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark's expedition
across the North American continent, many have tried to imagine what these
explorers found on their journey. As they crossed into a land we now
call Idaho, it is certain that they saw many extraordinary things such as
abundant wildlife, pristine lakes and rivers and a stunning array of
wildflowers and native plants that scattered the landscape.
What they did
not see was Yellow starthistle, Purple loosestrife, Dalmatian toadflax,
Poison hemlock, Eurasian watermilfoil, Leafy spurge, Spotted knapweed and
dozens of other insidious noxious weeds that now inhabit thousands of acres
of Idaho’s lands.
These invasive plants have turned areas once full of diverse native
species into dense stands of monoculture, difficult to penetrate by anyone
or anything. Any hiker or hunter who has tried to walk through a field of
Yellow starthistle has soon found out that it is like walking into a patch
of hypodermic needles leaving a painful and unpleasant experience.
Noxious weeds are a serious issue that need cooperation from landowners,
state and federal agencies, farmers and ranchers, conservationists,
sportsmen and anyone who cares about our state’s agriculture, ecology and
economy.
It is estimated that invasive weeds will impact Idaho’s economy by
approximately $300 million this year. Idaho farmers and ranchers spend in
the upwards of $15 million a year to fight this ecological war. And
nationwide, noxious weeds are spreading at an alarming rate of 4,600 acres a
day if left untreated and are costing our nation’s economy approximately $18
billion annually.
Many of Idaho’s listed noxious weed species were introduced into Idaho
from other states. Some of these invasive plants were not considered a
"priority" for eradication and some are primary examples of how Idaho can
learn from its past.
One example is Rush skeletonweed. Native to Eurasia, Rush skeletonweed
was first identified near Spokane, Washington in 1938. A five-acre
infestation of the weed was first detected in Idaho in 1960 near Banks. This
infestation grew to 60 acres by 1962 and to 100 acres by 1965. By 1982, the
infested area was estimated at 35,000 acres, having increased at an
approximate rate of 80% per year. Now Idaho’s lands are infested with
approximately 1 million acres of Rush skeletonweed.
Could this have been prevented? The answer is yes, but the reason why
Rush skeletonweed was not eradicated was because it was not listed as a
"priority" for eradication in 1960. Important tools such as Early Detection
and Rapid Response or educational Weed Television Commercials did not exist
in 1960.
At the time Rush skeletonweed was first documented in Idaho, there were
already weed management programs established, but these programs were not as
aggressive as the ones we currently have.
Have we learned from our past? Today, Idaho handles invasive plant
species much different. Reports of newly introduced species are not ignored.
Priority funding exists for early detection measures. And Idahoans are
becoming more educated on the impacts of noxious weeds by organizations such
as the Idaho Weed Awareness Campaign, a public information campaign that
creates awareness and education about the threats of noxious weeds to
Idaho’s lands and economy.
Imagine if today’s weed control efforts ceased and we left the
battlefield. Noxious weeds not only would continue to starve out wildlife
and other animals, but crop loss would be significantly higher reducing our
own food supply. Lakes and rivers would be infested with aquatic plants that
kill fisheries and ruin wetlands. And future generations would not be able
to see the beauty that our generation and generations past have seen. To put
it bluntly, Idaho would look like one giant weedy and unproductive
wasteland.
With plans in place such as Idaho’s Strategic Plan for Managing Noxious
Weeds, and groups such as the Idaho Weed Awareness Campaign, Cooperative
Weed Management Areas, the Idaho Weed Control Association, the Idaho Weed
Coordinating Committee and the Idaho Invasive Species Council, Idaho remains
at the pinnacle of weed control efforts in the entire Union. Indeed, Idaho
has learned a lot from its past.
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