montana statewide noxious weed and education campaign

CHARTER

MONTANA STATEWIDE NOXIOUS WEED AWARENESS AND EDUCATION CHARTER

Background

Montana's natural resources are at risk from noxious weed invasion. This problem has been approached from a regional perspective by collaborating with federal agencies, local organizations, and individuals to achieve successful programs that protect our natural resources. Organized in 1995 as a sub-committee of the Montana Weed Control Association, the Statewide Noxious Weed Awareness and Education Group is progressively developing an integrated, cohesive education and awareness campaign strategy for the entire state of Montana. The Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund administered by the Montana Department of Agriculture provided funding for the development of the campaign which launched the beginning stages of implementation. The campaign has now begun an interagency funded strategy to disseminate diverse and educational information to the general public. Initial funding for the project is provided by the Center for Invasive Plant Management, Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association Ethics and Education Grant – administered by Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund – administered by the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Transportation, Montana State University College of Agriculture Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, US Department of Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Land Management, US Department of Agriculture - Forest Service Northern Region, Forestry and Private Lands, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dow AgroSciences, and Montana Farm
Bureau Foundation.

Membership

Since 1982, a heightened concern over noxious weed issues by many agencies and organizations prompted action to develop and distribute educational materials about noxious weeds. Membership is open to all interested individuals, agencies, and organizations. The current membership is listed in Appendix I.

Purpose and Objectives

The Statewide Noxious Weed Awareness and Education Campaign Group developed a mission statement that reads "For the people of Montana to realize the economic and environmental impacts of noxious weeds, to become supportive of all aspects of noxious weed efforts, and to implement integrated weed management across the state."

Noxious weeds degrade our ecosystems by displacing plant and animal populations that are essential to the ecological and economic stability of our state. To preserve the natural heritage of Montana, it is clear that Montanans must dramatically increase efforts toward preventing the further invasion of noxious weeds, and develop/implement sustainable noxious weed management strategies. Therefore, it is critical that we all become aware of the threat of noxious weeds and how the people and the ecosystem will be impacted in the future.

The strategic campaign is designed to work for all state and federal agencies, local organizations, county weed management planners, and individuals in a coordinated effort to generate leaders and workers to protect our native wildlife and plant populations. The benefit of the campaign to all state and federal agencies is the effective use of combined dollars to reach a broader audience at less cost. A full-time campaign coordinator is in place to implement and provide consistency in this statewide campaign.

The Group initially focused on seven concise messages to be delivered to the general public and identified target audiences to channel these messages to. These messages are:

1) Explanation of noxious weed-identification of individual plants
and infestations;

2) How people are affected by noxious weeds;

3) How the environment is affected by noxious weeds;

4) Why the general public needs to support all aspects of noxious weed efforts

(including the Noxious Weed Trust Fund);

5) What the general public can do;

6) Successful weed management program in Montana;

7) There are many ways to manage weeds.

Messages are being developed for specific actions that the general public
can take.