Hikers, Campers, Riders -- You Can Help

06/12/98 BOZEMAN -- As summer approaches Montanans will start hiking, camping, horseback riding, mountain biking and a host of other outdoor activities.

Few of us would knowingly damage the outdoors we enjoy so much, but recreational activities contribute to one of the West’s most serious ecological problems–the spread of noxious weeds.

Far from being a problem "just for farmers," noxious weeds are foreign plant species that invade native habitat. In so doing, they can ruin land for wildlife and livestock, agriculture and forestry. They take the place of native plants , undermining our state's ecology. Research has shown that spotted knapweed increases surface runoff and soil erosion. This increases soil erosion into streams, which can increase stream temperatures and impact the state’s fisheries.

Every time you see a dandelion, it is in the place that should be nurturing a native plant. The same is true for spotted knapweed, which covers millions of Montana acres. Other noxious weeds in Montana include leafy spurge, dyer’s woad, purple loosetrife, dalmatian and yellow toadflax, St. Johnswort, whitetop and yellow starthistle. There are hundreds of weeds, and each one has taken over from a native plant.

Eventually, these impacts could hurt Montana’s tourist industry. Many scientists believe that the invasion of western rangelands by noxious weeds like knapweed is the first stage of "desertification," or the process by which an area becomes totally unproductive and degraded to the point of being useless.

One reason they dominate is that nature's controls on them in their native land--the insects and diseases that limited them--didn't get to Montana along with the weed seed.

However, another reason is that we are unwittingly helping weeds move into new areas.

How do recreational activities like hiking, camping, and horseback riding contribute to the problem?

Weed seeds are dispersed by humans as well as by animals, wind and water. Seeds may stick to clothing, gear, hiking shoe soles, or to the hair of your pets. Seeds ride in the undercarriage of your vehicle and can be spread through horse manure.

Outdoor enthusiasts can discourage the spread of weed seeds by checking clothing, gear and pets for weed seeds.

When you find them, leave them in the weed infested area or burn them in your campfire. Dispose them somewhere germination is impossible. Contact with weedy areas should be avoided if possible. Horses should be fed certified weed-free hay only.

Not only do human activities help spread weed seeds, they may also create disturbances that help noxious weeds get established. If an area is heavily trampled and native vegetation killed, overly competitive noxious weeds may colonize the disturbance. When enjoying in the back country, take precautions to "leave no trace" and avoid treading in sensitive areas.

You can help combat noxious weed spread by becoming familiar with state and county noxious weed lists. If you find noxious weed infestations while enjoying Montana’s wilderness, let the county weed supervisor know. Information on noxious weeds is available through the Montana State University Extension Publications. You can contact them for a catalog of publications by writing them at 118 Culbertson Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, or calling (406)994-3273. For more information on traveling in Montana, visit the Travel Montana web site.

Send questions or comments to Carol Flaherty, MSU Communications Services, Bozeman, MT 59717 or to Flaherty with this link: carolf@montana.edu.

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