Mariposa County has a long standing program to control yellow star thistle and other invasive noxious weeds by the use of Integrated Weed Management practices. Crucial to our success is public participation, education, and awareness. Yellow star thistle, the number one invasive noxious weed in the state, was accidentally introduced in contaminated alfalfa seed during the 1800s and now occupies well over 12 million acres in California, roughly 22 per cent of California agricultural, watershed, and open space areas. Since 2001, Mariposa County has been working on the control of invasive noxious weeds in the county in conjunction with the Sierra - San Joaquin Weed Management Area and the State of California. For FY 2005/2006 through 2013/2014 and again for FY 2014/2015, the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors has initiated a County funded cost share weed control program and made the commitment to continue the work begun under State and federal legislation and funding to control invasive noxious weeds such as yellow star thistle and tocalote as well as other targeted invasive weed species on private and public lands within Mariposa County.
Our cost share weed control program has targeted properties primarily along the “no spread” Leading Edge areas of the county: the Hwy 132/Coulterville/Greeley Hill corridor, areas around Mariposa town, and to the east adjacent to the Stanislaus and Sierra National Forests as well as on right-of-ways along county and state roads for invasive noxious weed control. Funding has been used for a cooperative cost share spray program with private landowners in these targeted areas on a 50/50 ratio to continue the aggressive assault on the noxious weed seed bank. The control materials will be applied by the contract Pest Control Operator, California Reforestation, using appropriate equipment, application methods, and rates. Applications may be made by ground rig or aerial as dictated by acreage, topography, or economics.
In order to participate in the cost share program, the cooperator must meet the following criteria: 1) verification by the Weed Management Coordinator Dan Wice of yellow star thistle, tocalote, or other invasive noxious weed species on their property that constitutes a significant infestation problem to warrant participation as determined by the Agricultural Commissioner; 2) allow the Agricultural Commissioner staff to GPS, map, and monitor control efforts prior to the application, at six months, and one year following the application to establish efficacy; 3) obtain an Operator Identification Number (OIDN) for the property if there is agricultural production occurring on the property (California Reforestation as the contract PCO can serve as the agent for obtaining the OIDN and for pesticide use reporting purposes for this program); 4) cooperator reimbursement will be 50% of the application cost after payment of the invoiced amount; and 5) this is a county funded cost share program and as such, funding is limited. Participation will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ø Why control invasive noxious weeds, particularly yellow starthistle? Because they deplete water resources (yellow starthistle alone consumes over a million acre feet of water a year in the Central Valley that could go to producing crops), increase fire hazard and incidence of wildfires (think “green” gasoline), and reduce the value of land for agricultural, residential, and recreational purposes as well as reduce habitat for native fauna and crowd out native plant species.
Ø We really need your help on this project. If you have yellow starthistle or tocalote on your property and you are NOT controlling it, but your neighbors are, then YOU are contributing to their problem (as well as your own!) and providing a seed bank to re-infest their property and yours!
Ø If you can participate in our invasive noxious weed program, please join us. The cost is reasonable and 50% is reimbursed to you by the county.
Ø This is a voluntary program, so if you can’t join us, please ask us for information on how to identify and control yellow starthistle or other invasive noxious weeds on your own, whether by mechanical, chemical or other methods.
If you would like to participate as a cooperator in this weed control cost share program or have any questions about the program, invasive noxious weed species, or integrated weed management control methods, please contact the Mariposa County Agricultural Commissioner’s office in Mariposa at (209) 966-2075 or by e-mail -- agcomm@mariposacounty.org.
Remember, “A weed (or two) a day, that’s all it takes” and we can make a difference! Please join our team and be part of the solution, NOT the problem! Be a Mariposa County Weed Warrior!
Article Contributed by Cathi Boze, Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer
