Roseburg DistrictRoseburg DistrictVegetation Treatments Using Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on BLM Lands in Herbicides on BLM Lands in

OregonOregonEnvironmental Impact Environmental Impact

StatementStatement

Noxious WeedsNoxious Weeds

There are 33 noxious weeds documented on There are 33 noxious weeds documented on District District

Total acres infested unknownTotal acres infested unknown Worst offenders: Scotch broom and Himalayan Worst offenders: Scotch broom and Himalayan

blackberryblackberry Priority weeds: Portuguese broom, French Priority weeds: Portuguese broom, French

broom, gorse, woolly distaff thistle, yellow broom, gorse, woolly distaff thistle, yellow starthistle, knotweeds, spotted and diffuse starthistle, knotweeds, spotted and diffuse knapweeds, and shining geraniumknapweeds, and shining geranium

Priority weed infestations total approx. 566 Priority weed infestations total approx. 566 acres.acres.

Woolly distaff thistle

Yellow starthistle

Spotted knapweed

Widespread Noxious Widespread Noxious WeedsWeeds

Scotch broom along BLM road

Himalayan blackberry in riparian area

Integrative Weed Mgmt Integrative Weed Mgmt PrioritiesPriorities

Prevent spread and establishment of Prevent spread and establishment of noxious/invasive weeds in all areasnoxious/invasive weeds in all areas

Detect and eradicate new invadersDetect and eradicate new invaders Control and contain established Control and contain established

infestationsinfestations Cooperate with adjacent landowners, Cooperate with adjacent landowners,

agencies, state and local governments agencies, state and local governments to accomplish the aboveto accomplish the above

Priority Treatment AreasPriority Treatment Areas

Must prioritize noxious weed treatment Must prioritize noxious weed treatment because staff and funding are limited.because staff and funding are limited.

High priority areas include:High priority areas include: Special Status Species sitesSpecial Status Species sites Areas of Critical Environmental ConcernAreas of Critical Environmental Concern Recreation sitesRecreation sites Sand and Gravel sourcesSand and Gravel sources Access roads for planned timber sale unitsAccess roads for planned timber sale units Opportunities for partnershipsOpportunities for partnerships

PartnershipsPartnerships

Partnerships allow us to effectively treat Partnerships allow us to effectively treat noxious weeds across land ownershipsnoxious weeds across land ownerships

Partners include:Partners include: Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation

DistrictDistrict Douglas County Forestry CrewDouglas County Forestry Crew Douglas County Weed BoardDouglas County Weed Board Oregon Department of AgricultureOregon Department of Agriculture Youth Conservation CorpsYouth Conservation Corps Private timber companies.Private timber companies.

Partnership Example:Partnership Example:Cox Creek Cooperative Weed Cox Creek Cooperative Weed

Management AreaManagement Area Includes all Portuguese Includes all Portuguese

broom infestations in broom infestations in Douglas Co.Douglas Co.

Control in coop. w/ state, Control in coop. w/ state, county, and privatecounty, and private

Work primarily funded by Work primarily funded by Title II and accomplished Title II and accomplished by Douglas Co. Soil & by Douglas Co. Soil & WaterWater

Total gross treated in Total gross treated in FY07 = 1,892 ac. (BLM FY07 = 1,892 ac. (BLM gross = 85 ac.)gross = 85 ac.)

Portuguese Portuguese BroomBroom

inin Douglas Douglas

CountyCounty

Priority Treatment AreaPriority Treatment AreaPits & Piles Title II ProjectPits & Piles Title II Project

Total of 380 sand and Total of 380 sand and gravel sites in Districtgravel sites in District

Source of weed seed that Source of weed seed that could be spread could be spread throughout Countythroughout County

Since 2005 have treated Since 2005 have treated all sites and many miles of all sites and many miles of access roads to the pits access roads to the pits and pilesand piles

Funding 100% Title II of Funding 100% Title II of the Secure Rural Schools the Secure Rural Schools ActAct

Approx. 50 work weeks w/ Approx. 50 work weeks w/ Douglas Co. Forestry Douglas Co. Forestry Crew each yearCrew each year

Noxious Weeds TreatedNoxious Weeds Treated Diffuse knapweedDiffuse knapweed English hawthornEnglish hawthorn English ivyEnglish ivy French broomFrench broom GorseGorse Himalayan Himalayan

blackberryblackberry Japanese knotweedJapanese knotweed MedusaheadMedusahead Portuguese broomPortuguese broom

Purple loosestrifePurple loosestrife Rush skeletonweedRush skeletonweed Scotch broomScotch broom Spanish broomSpanish broom Spotted knapweedSpotted knapweed Yellow starthistleYellow starthistle Woolly distaff thistleWoolly distaff thistle Thistles (bull, Thistles (bull,

Italian, milk, Italian, milk, Canada)Canada)

Control MethodsControl Methods

PreventionPrevention Manual/Mechanical Manual/Mechanical Biological ControlBiological Control FireFire Chemical ControlChemical Control

PreventionPrevention

EducationEducation Wash vehiclesWash vehicles Minimize soil Minimize soil

disturbancedisturbance Reseed/Mulch Reseed/Mulch

disturbed areasdisturbed areas

Manual & Mechanical Manual & Mechanical TreatmentsTreatments

Approx. 146 acres of Approx. 146 acres of noxious weeds treated noxious weeds treated annually using annually using manual/mechanical manual/mechanical methodsmethods

Much of this acreage Much of this acreage accomplished through accomplished through cooperation Youth cooperation Youth Conservation Corps and Conservation Corps and Douglas Co. Forestry CrewDouglas Co. Forestry Crew

Weeds pulled include Weeds pulled include yellow starthistle, Scotch yellow starthistle, Scotch broom, Himalayan broom, Himalayan blackberry, and diffuse blackberry, and diffuse knapweedknapweed

Mechanical TreatmentMechanical Treatment

Within timber stand Riparian area at North Bank HMA

Millpond Recreation site Sand and Gravel pit

Biological ControlBiological Control

bull thistlebull thistle

Canada thistleCanada thistle gorsegorse Italian thistle Italian thistle meadow knapweed meadow knapweed milk thistle milk thistle poison hemlockpoison hemlock

purple loosestrife purple loosestrife rush skeletonweedrush skeletonweed Scotch broomScotch broom slender-flowered slender-flowered

thistlethistle St. John’s wortSt. John’s wort tansy ragworttansy ragwort yellow starthistleyellow starthistle

Biological control agents established Biological control agents established on 14 noxious weed species on 14 noxious weed species throughout the Roseburg District:throughout the Roseburg District:

The extent and level of control achieved by The extent and level of control achieved by biological agents on these weeds are not biological agents on these weeds are not quantified.quantified.

Fire Fire

Medusahead

Fire to Control Fire to Control MedusaheadMedusahead

Herbicide TreatmentsHerbicide Treatments

Between 900 and 1200 acres treated Between 900 and 1200 acres treated annually using herbicidesannually using herbicides Scotch broom (2,4-D) and Himalayan blackberry Scotch broom (2,4-D) and Himalayan blackberry

(glyphosate) along roads (approx. 760 acres). (glyphosate) along roads (approx. 760 acres). Foliar spray using backpack sprayers or truck Foliar spray using backpack sprayers or truck mounted sprayer. Work done by cooperators, mounted sprayer. Work done by cooperators, BLM staff or contractorsBLM staff or contractors..

Herbicide TreatmentsHerbicide Treatments Portuguese broom in the Portuguese broom in the

Cox Creek WMA (approx. Cox Creek WMA (approx. 272 acres). Foliar 272 acres). Foliar application of 2,4-D using application of 2,4-D using backpack sprayers. backpack sprayers. Cooperators.Cooperators.

English hawthorn cut-English hawthorn cut-stump application of stump application of glyphosate (approx. 10 glyphosate (approx. 10 acres). BLMacres). BLM

French broom (approx. French broom (approx. 190 acres) foliar spray 190 acres) foliar spray using 2,4-D in backpack using 2,4-D in backpack sprayers. Cooperatorssprayers. Cooperators

Other priority species (i.e. Other priority species (i.e. gorse, spotted knapweed, gorse, spotted knapweed, yellow starthistle) foliar yellow starthistle) foliar spray of picloram using spray of picloram using backpack sprayers (< 5 backpack sprayers (< 5 acres). Cooperatorsacres). Cooperators

Current Herbicide Current Herbicide LimitationsLimitations

Currently can use only 4 herbicides to control listed Currently can use only 4 herbicides to control listed noxious weedsnoxious weeds

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, and 2,4-D, Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, and 2,4-D, dicamba, and picloram are systemic broad-leaved dicamba, and picloram are systemic broad-leaved herbicidesherbicides

These 4 herbicides are not always the most effective or These 4 herbicides are not always the most effective or environmentally safe -- picloram (Tordon) cannot be environmentally safe -- picloram (Tordon) cannot be used in areas with permeable soil or a high water tableused in areas with permeable soil or a high water table

Currently on cooperative projects, the cooperator must Currently on cooperative projects, the cooperator must switch chemicals when moving from private land to BLM switch chemicals when moving from private land to BLM landland Crossbow (a triclopyr/2,4-D formulation) is typically used on non-Crossbow (a triclopyr/2,4-D formulation) is typically used on non-

BLM lands to control broom species, but cannot be used on BLM BLM lands to control broom species, but cannot be used on BLM Few options for safely and effectively treating aquatic Few options for safely and effectively treating aquatic

weedsweeds

How Vegetation Treatment How Vegetation Treatment EIS Would HelpEIS Would Help

More options for effectively treating aquatic noxious More options for effectively treating aquatic noxious weedsweeds Weeds such as purple loosestrife and Japanese knotweed are Weeds such as purple loosestrife and Japanese knotweed are

increasing on the Districtincreasing on the District Mechanical methods only prevent seed set and do not kill the Mechanical methods only prevent seed set and do not kill the

plantsplants Stem injection of aquatic formulations of glyphosate (currently Stem injection of aquatic formulations of glyphosate (currently

available) to control knotweed can easily exceed the maximum available) to control knotweed can easily exceed the maximum use rates allowed per acreuse rates allowed per acre

How Vegetation Treatment How Vegetation Treatment EIS Would HelpEIS Would Help

Options to treat medusaheadOptions to treat medusahead Fire must be timed for when immature seed still Fire must be timed for when immature seed still

on the plantson the plants Weather and fuel conditions not always Weather and fuel conditions not always

conducive for burning in late June/early Julyconducive for burning in late June/early July Air quality concerns from burningAir quality concerns from burning Potential wildlife impacts from burning – Potential wildlife impacts from burning –

nesting birds, loss of forage until re-growth in nesting birds, loss of forage until re-growth in the fallthe fall

How Vegetation Treatment How Vegetation Treatment EIS Would HelpEIS Would Help

Options to more effectively treat noxious or Options to more effectively treat noxious or invasive weed speciesinvasive weed species Some of the additional herbicides proposed for use Some of the additional herbicides proposed for use

are more selective and their use would reduce are more selective and their use would reduce potential damage to non-targeted vegetationpotential damage to non-targeted vegetation

Need to use the most effective treatment available Need to use the most effective treatment available since future funding is likely to be reducedsince future funding is likely to be reduced

Availability of additional herbicides would reduce Availability of additional herbicides would reduce potential for the noxious weeds to develop potential for the noxious weeds to develop herbicide resistance. herbicide resistance.

Yellow starthistle has developed resistance to picloram in Yellow starthistle has developed resistance to picloram in Washington Washington

District Level AnalysisDistrict Level Analysis

Once the statewide Vegetation Once the statewide Vegetation Treatment EIS is finalized, additional Treatment EIS is finalized, additional National Environmental Policy Act National Environmental Policy Act analysis would be required at the analysis would be required at the District level. District level.