The purpose of the project is to manage invasive plants and noxious weeds using student crews to support agricultural productivity and local communities

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service Research Service Rocky Mountain Research Station awarded $100,000 to Wood River Resource Conservation And Development Council, Incorporated on August 10, 2026, under the Forest Health Protection program (CFDA 10.680) to manage invasive plants and noxious weeds across Southern Idaho.

The recipient will operate six bug crews monitoring more than 360 sites across six Idaho counties to identify at least ten new sites per county annually. The crews will collect and redistribute biological control agents targeting knapweeds, Canada thistle, and rush skeleton weed, and establish potential redistribution insectaries for Russian knapweed. The project partners with counties, municipalities, and private landowners to improve forest health and wildfire resilience while coordinating across jurisdictions to deliver recreation, conservation, and economic benefits.

Period of performance runs through December 31, 2028. Work is performed in Idaho.

The southern idaho biocontrol program also partners with counties, municipalities and private land owners to improve forest health and wildfire resilience and coordinating across jurisdictions to deliver recreation, conservation and economic benefits. The scope involves six BUG crews monitoring over 360 sites across six counties, identifying at least ten new sites per county annually, and collecting and redistributing biological control agents for target species such as knapweeds, canada thistle, and rush skeleton weed, and establishing potential RE-distribution insectaries for russian knapweed.