BTNF releases Record of Decision for Invasive Plant Management
June 11, 2020
Tricia O’Connor, Forest Supervisor of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, has signed the Record of Decision (ROD) and released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Invasive Plant Management Project.
The ROD and FEIS address treating noxious weeds across the 3.4 million acre forest in western Wyoming. The decision is a modified Alternative 2 where the Forest can treat invasive plant species on up to 20,000 acres annually on the Bridger-Teton using a condition based and integrated invasive plant treatment strategy, and excludes aerial application of herbicides in designated Wilderness and wilderness study areas.
Condition-based management is a tool that offers a way to evaluate constantly changing or new weed infestations and new treatment options while still addressing other resource concerns.
Some weeds produce large numbers of seeds that remain viable in the soil for up to ten years, and even longer for others. Several species have extensive root systems that sprout if the main stem is cut or broken off.
"The degree of difficulty to control the growing infestations of weeds necessitates utilization of multiple treatment methods and continuous monitoring to ensure that new infestations don’t become established," O’Connor said.
The Final EIS was released on Sept. 27, 2019. The environmental analysis as well as the Record of Decision are available online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52791.
|
