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Our management goal will be three-pronged. <br />1. Prevent introduction of the species into non-infested areas due to construction <br />and maintenance operations. <br />2. Treat and control weeds that may be introduced into the site. <br />3. Prevent the spread of noxious weeds, that may be introduced, to areas outside <br />the site boundary. <br />B. Description of how weed species interfere with management goals <br />Non-native, invasive weed species are capable of degrading native rangeland by their <br />ability to disrupt and dominate the natural plant communities. Their competitive <br />nature allows them to reduce the quality and quantity of desired species. Thus, the <br />value of the land on which native species have been replaced by non-native, invasive <br />species is significantly reduced. <br />2. OVERVIEW OF WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN <br />A. General Management Philosophy <br />Weed control is part of the overall site management and revegetation program. USDA- <br />NRCS can provide a revegetation plan, thus, this weed management plan will work to <br />complement that revegetation plan. Our focus is to prevent the introduction of noxious <br />weeds in order that desirable plants (typically native grasses) can succeed. <br />Preventative programs will occur in successive years to insure that desired plants <br />continue to thrive without competitive pressure from weed species, whether <br />designated as noxious or undesirable. We will implement preventative programs to <br />keep the site free of species that are not yet established there but which are known to <br />be pests elsewhere in the area. We will set priorities for the control or elimination of <br />weeds that may be introduced to the site, according to their actual and potential <br />impacts on native species and communities. We will take action only when careful <br />consideration indicates leaving the weed unchecked will result in more damage than <br />controlling it with available methods. <br />We will use an adaptive management strategy, as follows. <br />1). Establish the goals for the site. <br />2). Identify species that block us from reaching these goals and assign priorities based <br />on the severity of their impacts. <br />3). Consider methods for controlling them or otherwise diminishing their impacts and, <br />if necessary, re-order priorities based on likely impacts on target and non-target <br />species. <br />4). Develop weed control plans based on this information. <br />5). Implement the plan and monitor results. <br />6). Evaluate the effectiveness of our methods in light of the site goals, and use this <br />information to modify and improve control priorities, methods and plans. <br />7). Re-evaluate the plan and make necessary adjustments to insure that goals are <br />being met.