News from Stevens County Weed Board

District 2 Board Member Needed! 1/26/2012

Stevens County Weed ID Booklet Available for Purchase-FOR A LIMITED TIME; ALMOST GONE...12-1-2011

Eastern WA Version of "Garden Wise" Booklet available to download

Chemical Recommendations- Revised 2011 Version

2012 Weed List Hearing/Annual Meeting Feb 16

WANTED!

VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBER
FOR WEED DISTRICT 2

Jerry Hedrick has served as a Board Member representing Weed District 2 since 2002. Due to family health issues, Mr. Hedrick had to resign his position prior to his term expiration of Dec 31, 2014. We are looking for someone to fill the remainder of his unexpired term.

We need YOU to help set policies, oversee budget and direct staff for the Weed Board.

There is no salary associated with the position, but Board Members are reimbursed for approved travel expenses (monthly meetings in Colville) and occasional training opportunities.

More information on Board Member duties, district boundary maps and current Board Members can be found on our Staff/Board page-the link is at the top of this page. If you live within the boundaries of District 2 AND are involved in the primary production of Agriculture, please consider contacting the weed board be email weedboard@co.stevens.wa.us or phone 684-7590 for an application for appointment to the Board.

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Weed & Biocontrol Booklet for Stevens County

Second Edition is HAS ALMOST SOLD OUT!
12-1-2011: WE HAVE ABOUT ONE DOZEN BOOKS LEFT FOR PURCHASE AT THE $7.50 PRICE. AFTER THEY ARE GONE, THE PRICE WILL BE GOING UP AS OUR PRINTING EXPENSES NEARLY DOUBLED THIS YEAR. WE HAVE A FEW DOZEN BOOKS WE JUST HAD PRINTED THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE FOR $12 EACH. STILL A GREAT DEAL WHEN YOU COMPARE WITH OTHER WEED ID BOOKS ON THE MARKET!

48 more color pages of weed identification and information have been added to the original version of our popular book. It includes all of the weed sheets and biocontrol sheets found on this website plus information on weed laws, county policies, useful websites and useful reference books. The booklet is 168 color pages of valuable information ready for your use "in the field" to help you identify weeds in your favorite recreation areas and on your property. The booklet is coil bound and measures 5 ½" x 8 ½" , perfect for throwing in the glove box of your vehicle or stuffing into a large pocket.

The cost of printing and binding the booklets is the only cost we will have to pass on to you. You can purchase the book for only $7.50, including tax. Stop by the office with cash or check or send us a check via mail and we will mail the book to you. (Feb 18, 2010)

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Garden Wise
There is a great new booklet available to help gardeners and nursery staff make sound planting decisions. Many of our noxious weeds began as garden ornamentals that out-grew their confines and spread beyond where they were intentionally planted. This book lists many of the noxious or known invasive ornamental plants and alternative garden choices that have similar stature and color characteristics, without the negative invasive qualities. There are two versions of the booklet-one for Eastern WA and one for Western WA. We have a few copies of the Eastern WA version available in our office for handout but you can download either version, along with several other educational items, by visiting the Washington State Weed Board website, education page.

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Pesticide License Credits Available at Feb 16, 2012 Annual Meeting

Another year has passed us by, seemingly as fast as those pesky noxious weeds spread, and it is time again for the annual meeting of the Stevens County Weed Board and Conservation District. This year’s day-long educational/business meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the meeting room at the Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance building, 425 N. Hwy in Colville (next door to Ronnie D’s Drive Inn).

Five pesticide license recertification credits have been applied for and it is expected that we will receive approval for all the credits. This means current WA State pesticide license holders who attend all credit talks will be able to earn up to five credits. Two credit talks will be in the morning and three more will take place after lunch. Morning credit sessions include one on weed identification presented by Weed Board staff and one by guest speaker, Joel Fields of the Wilbur-Ellis Company, who will discuss some new label requirements, residue concerns when using certain herbicides and new product introductions. If you come for the morning session only, you can earn two pesticide credits.

In the afternoon, beginning at 12:45, Weed Board staff will present information on how and why the Weed Board contacts landowners and review this year’s changes- 3 new additions- to the State Noxious Weed List. Added as a Class A noxious weed, oriental clematis (Clematis orientalis) is not known to be present in our county and in fact is currently only known to occur in Yakima County. If it were identified here, eradication of the plant would be required. Two additions were made to the State’s Class C list, the portion of the list that means the plant is already fairly wide spread in the state or that distribution across the state is not fully known and control requirements are up to each county. One is Japanese eelgrass (Zostera japonica), a grass-like plant that grows only in intertidal marine habitats and is causing problems with the shellfish industry on the coast. The other Class C addition is tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), a tree that isflourishing in many parts of the State but is not native and it spreads and grows very rapidly. We are not aware of any populations of this tree in Stevens County, but Weed Board staff will be looking for it in the upcoming field season. A hearing to accept the changes to the State Weed list will be opened and conducted by Board Chair, Eric Berg, at approximately 1:15. The two remaining credit talks will be given by State Noxious Weed Board staff members Alison Halpern and Wendy DesCamp who will present a variety of information to include: how the State Weed List is currently set up and some proposed changes to that process; how to submit a proposal for a weed list addition or change; support the State Weed Board offers to citizens, counties and agencies and; the new look of the State Weed Board’s web page. Attendees who are present for each of these afternoon talks will be able to earn three pesticide credits. There will be a business meeting of the Weed Board following the last speaker of the day, at approximately 3:45.

In addition to the Conservation District’s “state of the District” annual report, other talks will include an update on NRCS programs; a Kettle Falls High School Wildlife program report; a WAAE award presentation to the District Board; and an address on our Public Lands Forest Health and Policy by Public Lands Commissioner, Peter Goldmark. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day and the event is free and open to the public. There will be lunch available for purchase on site ($6 or so) for those who register by February 10 by calling the Weed Board at 684-7590 or email us at weedboard@co.stevens.wa.us or call the District at 685-0937, ext. 3 and provide names of those who wish to purchase lunch. No pre-registration is required if you will not be buying lunch. We look forward to seeing you there!

Click Here for Agenda