BLM funding will be used to complete weed treatment, assessment, and inventory on BLM managed public lands

Native plant populations impacted by invasive species degrade the landscape, increase catastrophic wildfire potential, and increase natural carbon sequestration within the soil profile. Native plant populations are critical to landscape biodiversity and properly functioning ecosystems. Targeting invasive species for treatment reduce the negative impacts of wildfire, wildlife habitat loss, negative biodiversity changes, and water shed degradation. Public lands are extremely important and are such a big part of peoples lives in this area. Having the capability to treat invasive species on public lands and keep the native vegetation intact is a great benefit to the public. We have many tools in our toolbox, whether its chemical treatments, biological control, or reseeding. Keeping these areas clean of invasive species will also contribute to our ecological diversity here in custer county.prioritization of weed species across the BLM lands managed by the challis field office are as follows:1.treating new invaders and early detection rapid response species first and focusing on eradication of the infestation. Invasives of particular interest in this section as of this proposal are yellow starthistle, medusahead, vipers bugloss, and eurasian watermilfoil, but may likely include others in the future.2.secondary priority species will include rush skeletonweed, leafy spurge, and spotted knapweed due to their highly disruptive nature to ecosystem processs.3.tertiary species include: houndstongue, whitetop, canada thistle, musk thistle, scotch thistle, oxeye daisy, sulphur cinquefoil, and black henbane, among others.to accomplish these priorities, seasonal crews would be hired FY 2023-2028 to treat noxious weed infestations found on public lands managed by the BLM. Most projects consist of treating inventorying invasive species. Treatments will take an integrated pest management approach by use of chemical, mechanical, biological, and manual means. ATV utvs will be used to get from the truck to the job site. They also haul the chemical and water mixes. In some areas they will also be used to spray both maintained and two-track roads. Invasive species located along public roads will be a priority for ccwd.day to day operations include the use of spray trucks, atvs utvs, and backpack sprayers. Much of the current equipment, though operational, is older and difficult to keep in working condition. Additional equipment to increase efficacy of the weeds program will be one of the top priorities of this proposal. As older equipment breaks down, IT will be phased out and new equipment will be acquired. The BLM CFO requests that all treatment and inventory data is recorded in nisims format. BLM and custer county have agreed upon utilizing an online esri database mapping program that will be standardized with the current nisims BLM format. Part of this agreement will be bringing ccwd up to PAR with this mapping protocol, including setting up the online arcgis online group database, acquiring tablets that are compatible with esri applications (such as collector and field maps), and submitting the data in a package format to BLM CFO. This allows transition of data to blms feature service for data management to occur more efficiently. This vendor provides custer county the ability to collect data to the nisims standard. The BLM invasive species coordinator has access to all mapping, geospatial data through their website to conduct QA QC. Ccwd does not have a GIS specialist to assist with the nisims data protocol, project map development, invasive species trends so this will greatly help the ccwd in its mapping and reporting to CFO.