ARS | Publication request: Research, demonstration, and extension: the ARS area-wide ecologically based invasive plant management project

Submitted to: Ecology and Management of Annual Rangelands Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 5, 2010
Publication Date: February 7, 2011
Citation: Smith, B.S., Sheley, R.L. 2011. Research, demonstration, and extension: the ARS area-wide ecologically based invasive plant management project. 64th Ecology and Management of Annual Rangelands Proceedings, February 6-10, 2011, Billings, Montana. 64:73.

Technical Abstract: The Area-wide project is a collaborative five year effort funded in 2008 by USDA-ARS that has brought together scientists with the USDA-ARS, universities, land managers, and policy makers throughout the Great Basin. A primary goal of the project is to develop and implement a comprehensive, regional ecologically based invasive plant management program to address ecosystems threatened and dominated by cheatgrass and medusahead. Among the activities of this project are landscape scale demonstration areas with producers in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California. Additional research projects are filling in information gaps, with work ongoing on site history, economics, weather and climate forecasting, seedling establishment, as well as a directed outreach component to develop curriculum, weed prevention areas and user guidelines and support to those managing invasive grasses in the Great Basin. Now into year 3 of the project, the Area-wide project team is making significant progress by increasing awareness of the issue and providing solid integrated management solutions that go beyond addressing the symptoms of annual grass invasions to the true causes of the problem. Education and outreach are important components of the program. Successes of the project can be attributed to having strong communication and support from principal investigators. Several key events were held at the beginning of the project to ensure clear understanding among team members of the ultimate outcomes for the project. Frequent communication and updates are held to keep all team members apprised of the ongoing work on the project.