Lassen County Noxious Weed SWAT Team
| Formed in |
1992 |
| Chaired by |
Carolyn Gibbs, Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office |
| General contact person |
Carolyn Gibbs, 530-252-5325, carolyn_gibbs@ca.blm.gov |
| Meetings |
Committee meetings twice a year, subgroup meetings for discussing specific weeds more frequently. Held at the Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office |
Outreach Summary
Brochures
- Perennial Pepperweed brochure
- Yellow Starthistle brochure
- Scotch Thistle brochure
- Spotted Knapweed brochure
- Flyer called Stop the spread of noxious weeds
Events
The WMA hosts an Annual County Fair Booth and an annual booth at Chico State University Agricultural Day where WMA representatives teach 900 children about puncture vine seeds throughout the day.
They hold a field trip with each local third grade class each year to teach them about noxious weeds. In addition, the Agricultural Commissioner offers continuing education classes about weed identification
and treatment for adults through Lassen Community College, and the UC Cooperative Extension office leads field trips for the agricultural community. Finally, the WMA conducted a week of publicity
events to promote the use of 2 insect biocontrol agents for puncturevine, Tribulus terrestris. The biocontrol insects will be given out for free at the end of the week.
Media coverage
- Lots of radio and local newspaper coverage.
Other
- Selected Noxious Weeds of Northeastern California, A Field Identification Guide (book)
Project Highlights
Seasonal work crew project
The WMA was awarded a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant that, with the help of additional funding, has supported a two-person crew that works out of the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office.
The crew spends the weed control season working with various organizations throughout Lassen County to aid a variety of weed control projects.
Lassen County tall whitetop removal
Throughout Lassen County, 64,000 acres of Tall whitetop (aka perennial pepperweed) exist. In addition to wetlands, the plant occupies drier areas from roadsides to mountain tops. The Lassen
County Noxious Weed SWAT Team used hand-pulling and herbicides to control tall whitetop along 7 miles of rivers. Many native plants returned to the control areas naturally, and some reseeding was
done as well. Children from 4-H groups were involved as well, and they went to Washington, DC to learn more about tall whitetop and to educate others at a convention.
The endangered Carson wandering skipper © T. Yssel
Carson Wandering Skipper Protection Project
Tall whitetop is being controlled and managed on 200 acres in the Amedee wetlands with the goal of protecting habitat for the Carson wandering skipper, Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus, an endangered
butterfly. Project partners include the Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lassen County, Honey Lake RCD, Honey Lake Conservation Team, California Department of Fish and
Game, and California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Organizations on WMA’s MOU
Big Valley Pest Abatement District
Bureau of Land Management, Alturas Field Office
Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office
Bureau of Land Management, Surprise Field Office
California Correctional Center
California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Food and Agriculture
California Department of Forestry
California Department of Transportation District 2
City of Susanville Parks Department
Ducks Unlimited
Honey Lake Conservation team
Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District
Lassen Community College
Lassen County Agricultural Commissioner's Office
Lassen County Cattlemens and Cattlewomens Associations
Lassen County Farm Advisor's Office
Lassen County Farm Bureau
Lassen County Office of Education
Lassen County Public Works Road Department
Lassen County University of California Cooperative Extension Office
Lassen Land and Trail Trust
National Park Service, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Natural Resources Conservation Service/Honey Lake RCD
Pheasants Forever
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Sierra Army Depot
Sierra Pacific Industries
Surprise Valley Resource Conservation District
Susanville Indian Rancheria
US Forest Service, Lassen National Forest
USDA Farm Services Agency
Other Regular Participants
Janesville Elementary School District
Lassen High School
Richmond 4-H
Richmond School District
Susanville FFA
