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Healthy Forests Success Story

Noxious Weed Control Partnership
Sheyenne National Grassland
Dakota Prairie National Grasslands
2002-2008

The Sheyenne Valley Grazing Association (SVGA) has partnered with the Dakota Prairie Grasslands (DPG) in a "war on weeds" for years. In 2002, the program took a dramatic turn when Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) successfully promoted a $200,000 dollar earmark for the treatment of leafy spurge and other noxious weeds on the national grasslands of North Dakota. Since the largest invasion of leafy spurge (approximately 25,000 infested acres) is on the Sheyenne National Grassland, SVGA’s Board of Directors worked with the DPG to develop a challenge cost share agreement to expend $45,500 federal funds on the treatment of leafy spurge in 2002.

The program implements an integrated approach to controlling leafy spurge. As the DPG worked with the SVGA in developing a plan to battle noxious weeds, it became apparent there was a need to limit herbicide application on the sandy soils of the Sheyenne National Grassland. In July of 2006, the SVGA worked with several agencies, including DPG, to co-host an "Innovative Weed Control Workshop" on the Sheyenne. A comprehensive agenda including talks on sheep and goat grazing, marketing, insects, herbicides, water quality and more captured the attention of producers, researchers, and agency people for two full days. It was a fantastic session and a real example of the growth of our program and partnership with the SVGA.

Since beginning with the earmark funds in 2002, we have grown the SVGA’s earmark allocation as high as 180,000 dollars (2007); with the SVGA contributing $73,000 of their own funds and non-cash contributions.

The 2008 grazing season will see the SVGA running three separate bands of sheep. Sheep bands will range from 200 to 500 animals each. SVGA members are busy upgrading their boundary fences by adding two additional wires to contain the sheep.

The control and elimination of noxious weeds is the key to restoration efforts on the Sheyenne National Grassland. Prescribed fire, herbicides, mechanical and cultural treatments, livestock grazing, rest and other bio-control treatments are the primary methods used to help restore the tall-grass prairie. Complete eradication of leafy spurge is most likely an unrealistic goal. The project goal is to reduce the density while increasing desirable native grasses and forb species. Monitoring is being established to assess progress toward this goal.