Requested funding will be used for management of noxious weeds within established cooperative weed management areas on private, tribal, and state lands in areas associated with federal lands that have…

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service Region 1-Northern Region awarded $240,000 to the Montana Department of Agriculture on July 20, 2026, under the Forest Health Protection program (CFDA 10.680) for noxious weed management within cooperative weed management areas on private, tribal, and state lands adjacent to federal lands with active weed programs.

The recipient will develop long-term weed management and monitoring plans, enhance invasive species awareness through outreach and education, implement early detection and rapid response protocols for new noxious weeds, and coordinate control efforts across private, county, tribal, and federal land ownerships. Work areas must contain at least 10 percent tree cover. Activities include prevention components of integrated weed management strategies, control of priority weed infestations, promotion of approved biological control agents, and cooperative management across jurisdictional boundaries. The Montana Department of Agriculture will comply with the Montana Environmental Protection Act in administering the program.

Performance runs from the award date through June 30, 2031. Work is performed in Montana.

Requested funding will be used for management of noxious weeds within established cooperative weed management areas on private, tribal, and state lands in areas associated with federal lands that have active weed management programs. Land within the projects will include at least 10 percent tree cover. Cooperators will develop long-term weed management and monitoring plans. The cooperator will comply with the montana environmental protection act in administering this program. The objectives of the program are to enhance invasive species awareness, outreach and education, planning, monitor efforts as prevention components of integrated weed management strategies, early detection and eradication or control of new invader noxious weeds, promote and create productive and sustainable forest and grasslands by limiting the spread and introduction of weeds across land ownerships (private, non-governmental, county, intra- and inter-state, tribal and federal), control infestations of priority weeds, promote the appropriate use of approved weed biological control agents, and work cooperatively and across land ownership and jurisdictional boundaries.