Mapping

Weed Prevention Areas (WPAs) are a long-term commitment because the number of weed introductions is expected to increase over time. Comprehensive distribution maps of native and invasive plants are important for successful, long-term approaches to prevention. Mapping strategies and surveys of native and invasive plants using GPS technology direct future activity and establish weed-free ecological baselines for comparisons as prevention systems progress over time. Weed scouts and Montana Conservation Corps crews assist ranchers and county weed districts with WPA surveys. Ranchers learn to map the location of new weeds on private and leased public land using GPS units (see Figure 4), which they then report to their county weed district. Bounty and recognition programs acknowledge rancher contributions to early detection. Prevention systems must be designed over the long-term to document changes that may take decades.

Figure 4. Hands-on GPS training of ranchers may improve the reporting of new weeds.

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Last Modified: 08/02/2007