Helena, Mont. – The State of Montana updated the Montana State Noxious Weed List to include three new plants and shifted the priorities of three existing weeds effective July, 2015.
Noxious weeds are invasive plants that have been determined to have the potential to or have actual detrimental impacts to Montana’s environment and economy. Propagation of these state listed noxious weeds is prohibited by law. They are prioritized by the establishment of the weed and management criteria.
“Noxious weeds can impact the ecology of local areas in many ways and they can have a large impact on Montana’s agricultural sector. We update the list to reflect the highest priority noxious weeds that we try to prevent from becoming established or propagated within the state,” said Statewide Noxious Weed Coordinator Dave Burch.
One new plant was added to the priority 1A list, Common reed (Phragmites australis ssp. australis), which has been detected within the state. A priority 1A listing means the weeds are not present or have a very limited presence in Montana. If a weed is designated as a priority 1A it requires preventive measures, education about the noxious weed and eradication if detected.
“It’s extremely important that we do all we can to prevent, educate and, if necessary, eradicate any new priority 1A noxious weeds; based on their invasive behavior in nearby states, we believe that they can have a very detrimental effect on our landscape. We often rely on eyes and ears out in the field to help manage and prevent noxious weeds from becoming established, so it is important to know the state’s priority noxious weeds, and help identify and inform weed managers,” said Jane Mangold, Associate Professor and MSU Extension Invasive Plant Specialist.
Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa) and Parrot Feather Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum aquaticum or M. brasiliense) were added to the Regulated Plant List. Regulated plants require that none are sold or transported in Montana. Eurasian watermilfoil and Flowering rush were moved to a Priority 2A, while Hoary alyssum was moved to Priority 2B. Follow the link to view the current Montana Noxious Weed list: agr.mt.gov/agr/Programs/Weeds/PDF/2015WeedList.pdf
The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries. For more information on the Montana Department of Agriculture, visit agr.mt.gov.
MSU Extension is a statewide educational outreach organization that applies unbiased, research-based university resources to address practical needs. For more information on MSU Extension, visit www.msuextension.org.
Source: Montana Department of Agriculture
