Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District has transferred their weed mapping information into digital format to be used in a Geographical Information System (GIS).  It is is one of a very few weed management agencies in the United States to have invested their time and money to this end. 

A huge challenge; all noxious weed information recorded on paper maps  was digitized first. Then, all the locations that were personal knowledge of the employees of Fremont County Weed & Pest were recorded and digitized.  Thus all basic existing information was had in a digital format.  Another challenge was to figure out how to gather new information in an efficient and accurate manner. 

We experimented over a length of time with various methods to gather new information and update known infestations.  Spray crews now use handheld GPS units to record waypoints along with special codes to designate the species, size of infestation, and canopy coverage for  weeds.  We also tie work-order numbers to the GPS locations to track treatments.  In the 2002 spray season, we hade 15 spray crews recording noxious weed infestations in this manner.  For more detailed mapping we use  laptops with moving map software, handheld GPS units, and ESRI software.

The successful result was well worth the demanding work and challenge.

SURVEY

The foundation for any control program is the development and maintenance of a current detailed inventory of target species distribution.  At present there are six animal species and 24 plant species  designated by the State of Wyoming as pests and noxious weeds.  There are 30 additional plant species listed by adjoining states as noxious weeds, bringing the total list to 54 plants that are weedy in Wyoming or bordering states. A number of other species are of concern for District cooperators. The result is list of about 75 species of interest. Knowledge of their presence and concentration is essential in developing an effective control program and efficient use of resources.

The District plans, funds and staffs a systematic weed and pest survey with the goal of examining all weed susceptible lands at least every 5 years.  Thus, about 20% of the land surface each year is searched for new infestations of plants and animals which are currently recognized as being injurious or damaging. The District  seeks funding from public land agencies to cover the cost of the survey on the lands they manage, but systematic frequent survey of the land takes precedence over concerns over funding from those agencies.  Private lands are surveyed at no cost to the landowner.  Survey data is entered into the District's GIS in a timely manner and the resulting digital information is made available to all participants.