This award will build capacity in the SE MT invasive annual grass task force by providing the participating counties the resources to accurately map infestations, conduct vegetation monitoring pre-…

This award will build capacity in the SE MT invasive annual grass task force by providing the participating counties the resources to accurately map infestations, conduct vegetation monitoring pre- and post-treatments, provide the funding to print enough copies of the montana state university invasive annual grass brochure and eddmaps user guide to distribute to several thousand landowners, and to plan and host a regional invasive annual grass summit in the fall of 2023 to provide additional information and resources to land managers. Activities accomplished from this project will help leverage additional funding for this group to implement a regional management plan and tackle the growing issue of invasive annual grasses in SE montana and northern wyoming. Activities for this project include scouting and mapping all infestations and controlling satellite populations, monitoring pre- and post-treatment vegetation response, coordinating control efforts with neighboring state partners, and educating the public, contractors, public land users, and agency personnel about invasive annual grasses and available edrr tools, like eddmaps. Department of agriculture staff will help coordinate task force efforts, print and distribute educational materials, collect and analyze mapping and monitoring data from the task force, host a spring and fall partner meeting, help plan and host a regional summit, and work to secure additional funding for management. This award expands existing state task forces to include medusahead, ventenata, and other invasive annual grasses and builds edrr capacity for the newly formed SE MT invasive annual grass task force. Partners including counties, tribes, conservation districts, and watershed groups will be able to employ staff or subcontract someone to scout, map and monitor invasive grass locations and treatments, increase partnerships locally and regionally, draft and implement a regional management plan, inform and educate land managers about the importance of edrr, provide opportunities for the public to take action, and host an invasive annual grass summit and other educational events and trainings.