Final Report Causey Knapweed SGMA

Weber County 2017-2021

Summary

Since 2017, Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands (UFFSL) has been working with multiple landowners in the Causey area of Weber County to control infestations of noxious weeds. At first the project was focused on controlling about 200 acres of knapweed, but came to include larger knapweed infestations, Dalmatian toadflax, musk thistle, Canada thistle, whitetop and other weeds. A large population of white bryony was discovered on one of the properties. Although it is not yet considered a noxious weed in Utah, it is highly invasive and considered noxious in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Jointly funded by the Utah Invasive Species Mitigation fund and the Utah Weed Supervisors/U.S. Forest Service grants, UFFSL treated  2,729 acres, using herbicide and bio-control methods. Finally, they seeded some treated areas and completed the project in October 2021. The agency has released a report to the landowners describing their work, showing before and after pictures, and most importantly, providing owners with a list of activities that will help them continue efforts to reduce infestations. You can read the report here.

Before and After

Below you can see two very fine examples of weed control success. More images are available in the report.

Landowners

Private property owners at the Sourdough Wilderness Ranch, Mountain Shadow and Causey Estates in Weber County actively participated in the UFFSL’s efforts to control noxious weeds on their properties. When the agency completed it’s work in 2021-22 it created a list of recommended actions for landowners.

The following list is typical:

• Mandatory weed wash for all vehicles entering the property.
• Weed education for property visitors and permitees that encourages proper weed identification and control methods.
• Implement a program that requires all activities that create bare ground (road grader, spring improvement, etc.) must be reseeded the first year they are disturbed, and a plan is in place to spray for weeds at least twice a year for two years
• Regular monitoring for new infestations. Possibly designate individuals that regularly visit the property that can identify weeds and willing to travel all the roads and trails multiple times a year to record locations of infestations, which are then treated.
• Increase dependable water sources for weed control (significant time is wasted traveling back to a reliable water source).