For the last 10 years, the Gallatin/Big Sky Weed Committee has worked to protect natural resources in Gallatin Canyon and the Big Sky community by promoting management of noxious weeds via education, prevention, early detection and rapid response.
Since its inception, the committee has worked with federal, state, county and local partners, bringing experts and resources to the community. In that spirit, we hosted the first ever Big Sky Weed Summit at the Huntley Lodge on April 14. Various agencies and local landowners were invited to attend a two-hour working session designed to stimulate a dialogue about invasive species management on the larger landscape level.
The agenda covered Montana noxious weed law, management plans, treatment including new herbicides, and biological control. The roundtable discussion proved informative and productive, and the committee hopes to continue this on an annual basis. We also planned for the second annual Big Sky treatment day with both the Madison and Gallatin Weed Control Districts, which is set for Aug. 6.
The presence of noxious weeds is directly connected to human activity, such as construction, recreation and travel. Continued spread of noxious weeds negatively impacts wildlife, fisheries, water quality, scenic beauty and property values. Working to address the negative effects of our actions is a tangible way to reduce our impact on the land.
Finally, we are proud to announce that the committee will be operating as a 501(c)(3) organization soon. Information about free landowner assistance, cost share, opportunities to volunteer at the two community weeds pulls, and weed identification and management is available at our new website, bigskyweeds.org.
– Jennifer Mohler, Gallatin/Big Sky Weed Committee