Hot springs county weed and pest will implement control methods on three primary species throughout the county, cheatgrass, saltcedar, and russian olive

Cheatgrass increases wildfire likelihood by creating a monoculture over vast expanses of rangeland. IT also accumulates dense mats of flammable detritus. Saltcedar increases the salinity of soil, greatly reducing the ability of native species to survive or establish. Russian olive spreads quickly and aggressively, choking out native species, and preventing native germination. Both russian olive and saltcedar consume massive quantities of water. In an already very dry climate, and especially during a drought, this reduction in available water is devastating to the survival and establishment of native species.cheatgrass control will be aerial application of imazapic. Helicopter application is the first choice, but if no pilot is available within the treatment window, a fixed wing application will be utilized. If necessary, some applications may be made with ground units. Treatments will occur in late summer or early fall.saltcedar and russian olive control will be a combination of methods. Larger plants, or thick stands will be mechanically removed mechanically. Isolated plants, or those in places that prevent mechanical removal will be removed by hand. Stumps will be treated with triclopyr to prevent regrowth. Younger plants will be controlled with basal bark treatments of triclopyr. Treatments will occur in late fall and winter. All treatment areas will be mapped with GPS and GIS both in the fields, and in mapping software using satellite data. Mapping data will be collected before control operations commence, during treatment, and after treatments are finished.plant density data will be collected before and after treatments to assess efficacy. Monitoring will continue at least five years.