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Cooperative Weed Management Areas Can Help
Property Owners with Their Responsibilities
Property owners
have the privilege of owning property, but along with this
privilege come responsibilities. One responsibility that
cannot be overlooked is the one dealing with noxious weed control.
The property owner may use whatever means permissible by law to
prevent the noxious weeds from going to seed.
The State of
Idaho determines which weeds will be on the State Noxious Weed
list. Local weed supervisors, Extension weed supervisors,
extension Educators and county commissioners all have an input
into developing this list. Each individual county has the
right to add any weed that poses a threat in that area to a County
Noxious Weed list. This Noxious Weed list is updated on a
yearly basis.
In each county
the commissioners are responsible to the State of Idaho for
enforcing the Noxious Weed Laws. The commissioners usually
hire an individual as a county weed supervisor. The
supervisor responds to complaints and investigates the extent to
which a property owner is or is not controlling noxious weeds.
He can initiate strong disciplinary action if a property owner
fails to control the problem. This action could result in a
fine of $3000 per infraction (the Idaho State Legislators are
considering raising the fine to $10,000) or quarantine the farm,
which prevents products from being removed from the property.
The county may also spray the noxious weeds and the property owner
in turn, pays the cost of the weed control. If the property
owner refuses to pay the charges they can be added to his property
taxes.
The University
of Idaho Cooperative Extension System Educators
are consultants to the Cassia County Commissioners and the County
Weed
Supervisor. He or she is available to identify weeds,
provide educational programs and recommend a means of controlling
the noxious weeds. The university of Idaho Extension
Educators have the responsibility of
bringing to the attention of the County Commissioners any
potential weed problems.
Complaints
about any property owner not controlling noxious weeds should be
presented to the county weed supervisor or county commissioners.
It should be realized that the county weed supervisor is always
looking for noxious weeds but cannot see every piece of property
in the county. A team effort to control noxious weeds will result
in a better weed control program.
A
program to encourage team work and better weed control has been
setup throughout the state called Cooperative Weed Management
Areas or CWMA’s. A CWMA is made up of landowners, Federal Land
Managers, County Commissioners, Extension Educators, road
districts, irrigation districts and concerned citizens in a
designated geographical area. The common bond of this group is
the concern they have for the damage that invasive species have on
the environment.
A CWMA is open to anyone in that geographical area interested in
controlling the spread of noxious weeds. The CWMA involves each
entity to work together to solve problems that one individual
entity cannot solve alone. A CWMA is able to obtain grants to
help defray the costs involved in the control program.
If you are interested in joining a CWMA and help solve a weed
problem in your area contact your Extension Educator or your County
Weed Supervisor and become a part of this great cause.
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