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Your input sought on noxious weed control<br>

Areas within the Kaibab National Forest, such as the one pictured above along Perkins-ville Road immed-iately south of Williams, are becoming overrun with noxious — or invasive, destructive — weeds, posing a threat to native plants. To combat the problem, the Forest Service has completed a draft of solutions for public review

Although noxious and invasive weeds have been present in area forests for more than 50 years, the overall seriousness of the problem was not recognized until the completion of studies in 1995. Using herbicides to eradicate noxious weeds from the Coconino, Kaibab and Prescott National Forests is addressed in the DEIS for Noxious and Invasive Weeds. The document is available for public review. The public has until April 19 to provide comments and suggestions to the Forest Service on the proposed action and three other alternatives examined in the DEIS.

Per the Arizona Administrative Codes R3-4-244, R3-4-245 (Arizona Department of Agriculture 1999), “a noxious weed is defined as any species of plant that is detrimental and difficult to control or eradicate and includes plant organisms found injurious to any domesticated, cultivated, native or wild plant.” Noxious weeds are described as meeting at least one of the following five biological criteria: exotic, invasive, competitive, persistent and aggressive.

Triggering agents for the rapid spread of noxious weeds include wildfire and drought. Drought conditions accelerates the spread of noxious weeds while land damaged by wildfire provides an optimum seed bed for the invaders. Two species of noxious weeds — the Dalmatian toadflax and bull thistle — are the most common invaders on the Kaibab National Forest. Under the DEIS, the Dalmatian toadflax and bull thistle will be contained. Through containment, the noxious weeds will not spread and future growth will be controlled. Another noxious weed — leafy spurge — will hopefully be eradicated. Curently, 25 noxious weed species have been identified on the three national forests and four new species have been discovered adjacent to the national forests.

The DEIS proposes a multi-method approach and examines four alternatives — including a preferred alternative — to manage the growing threat these invasive and harmless-looking plants pose to native plant communities. The treatment methods that were analyzed include manual (hand-grubbing and pulling), mechanical (clipping, mowing, tilling and burning), cultural (grazing by livestock, tilling and seeding of competitive plants), biological (use of approved insects and pathogens) and herbicidal (spot treatments, backpack and broadcast applications). The preferred alternative proposes to implement a combination of those treatments over the next 10-15 years on approximately 119,000 acres scattered across the three national forests.

The good news is that approximately 10 percent of the 119,000 acres with noxious weeds is located on the Kaibab National Forest. The remainder of the acreage — 60-70 percent on the Coconino and 20-30 percent on the Prescott— is mostly located on the other two national forests, said Brewer.

For individuals suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, herbicides used improperly could cause the forests to become unavailable to them. Individuals afflicted from MCS often have severe allergic reactions from carpet, paint, benign cleaning agents, mold and even gasoline. The improper use of herbicides could limit MCS sufferers from public lands, restricting their access to vital services and recreational opportunities, said Brewer.

“For those afflicted with MCS, the forest is a place of refuge,” he said.

The proposed application of herbicides for noxious weed control could also affect the ability of Native Americans and others to collect plants for traditional uses or medical reasons in specific areas

The Forest Service has not utilized any form of insecticides or herbicides in the last 50 years. Since Arizona is not an agricultural state — businesses such as farming are located primarily in southern Arizona — many individuals afflicted with conditions such as MCS and asthma, have relocated to the state in an attempt to improve their health, Brewer said.

If herbicides are utilized, an individual certified to apply pesticides would administer the treatment. All herbicide applications will follow Environmental Protection Agency label requirements. Applicators will wear protective clothing — masks, respirators, gloves, etc. — in accordance to EPA label requirements. All herbicides used will be screened by the EPA, said Brewer.

“The EPA screens herbicides and completes risk assessments through a battery of tests. Long-term health concerns such as cancer and birth defects are thoroughly examined through testing for toxins,” he said.

Only herbicides labeled for use adjacent to water will be used within riparian zones and areas with shallow ground water. Sites that will be treated with herbicides will be posted at all access points two weeks before, during and two weeks following the herbicide application.

Communication systems will be established to notify individuals who may be in the area gathering plants or traveling through zones where herbicides are scheduled for use. Proposed treatment plans will be posted on the Internet and updated to show time periods of when and where herbicides are being used. A toll-free telephone number will be established that individuals can call for information.

Herbicides would not be applied within one mile around communities, major housing developments, recreation sites, scenic overlooks and trailheads. The use of herbicides would be suspended due to the following conditions:

• Wind velocity exceeds six miles per hour for liquids or 15 miles per hour for granular herbicides, unless a lower maximum wind speed is specified on the label.

• Snow or ice covers the target plant.

• Precipitation is occurring or is imminent.

• Fog that significantly reduces visibility.

• Air turbulence is sufficient to affect the normal herbicide distribution pattern.

If accepted, the DEIS will likely be implemented in 2005. In the meantime, manual treatment methods will continue on the KNF. Twenty days of manual treatment will be completed by the Youth Conservation Corps crew this summer, Brewer said.

Individuals can view the DEIS electronically by visiting the KNF Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai. To obtain a compact disc or printed version of the DEIS documents, contact Chip Ernst at (928) 635-8317.

Comments may be submitted in the following ways:

• Visit the Noxious Weeds Web page on the KNF Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/publications/noxious_weeds/index.html. Click on the comments’ link.

• Send comments electronically to the following e-mail address: comments-southwestern-Kaibab@fs.fed.us.

• In writing to Noxious Weed EIS, Kaibab National Forest, 800 S. Sixth St., Williams, AZ 86046.


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