Our MissionTo provide noxious weed and pest management services to the residents of Fremont County by applying integrated pest management practices which consider the environment, the economy, and the well-being of our resources.
In this edition
Summer's here! Remember to Play Clean Go
July 15: Household chemicals accepted at landfill
The importance of calibration
Welcome aboard, new guy
Summer shop hours
Arrive clean, leave clean. That’s the basic message of Play Clean Go.
Fremont County Weed and Pest is a partner in Play Clean Go, a national campaign to reduce the spread of invasive species in recreational areas.
If you get out and about in Fremont County, you’ve probably seen Play Clean Go boot brush stations in places such as Sinks Canyon State Park, The Bus and Johnny Behind The Rocks trail systems, and trailheads of the Shoshone National Forest.
The stations are there as a reminder to please clean your boots and other gear (pets, livestock and vehicles too) before you enter or leave a recreational site. Brush off mud and remove any seeds or burrs you find. It’s a simple task to get in the habit of doing to protect your favorite outdoor places.
You wouldn’t support building a shopping mall at Worthen Meadows, right? The introduction of an invasive species into a pristine environment can produce a similar result.
Noxious weeds are certain foreign species of plants, typically from the Eurasian continent, which have a competitive advantage over our native plants. These invaders tend to dominate native ecosystems that our native wildlife, such as mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, evolved with over the eons. The introduction of an invasive species to the backcountry typically results in a reduction of biological diversity and a loss of wildlife habitat. The altered land no longer sustains the animals as well as it did before and, in many instances, the animals avoid infested areas completely.
So how did these invasive weeds get here? Over the last century they were brought here by people, either intentionally as ornamental plantings or by accident as seeds stuck to people’s feet, wheels and other vectors.
Let's say someone takes a muddy bike ride at The Bus in Lander. In that mud there may be seeds of Dalmatian toadflax, an invasive species that infests that area. The next weekend he takes his bike (which is still caked with dried mud) over to the JBH trails where toadflax is not typically found. Well, it's very likely he just transplanted toadflax there, a persistent perennial weed that returns year after year after year.
You don’t have to know how to identify or even name all 31 state-designated and county-declared noxious weed species. Just make sure your gear is clean when you go from place to place and that’s enough to do your part to reduce the spread of invasive species and help protect Wyoming’s great outdoors.
Play, Clean, Go…and have a great summer!
Household hazardous materials accepted at Lander Landfill on Saturday, July 15
Calibration matters
“So….How much herbicide do I put in?”
It’s a question we hear often at Fremont County Weed and Pest.
We typically answer it with another question: “It depends…What are you calibrated at?”
If you can answer that question, then we can tell you with confidence how much herbicide to add to your weed sprayer tank mix (and the herbicide label will tell you too by the acre).
Your calibration rate is essentially how much water you would spray to cover an acre. Sprayers can vary by nozzle size and type, water pressure and other factors. Backpack and handgun sprayers can differ greatly by how you operate your equipment, such as the movement of your arm and other variables. Vehicle mounted sprayers vary by how fast you’re moving, nozzle type and other factors.
The most common way to calibrate spray equipment is with the 1/128th Method. Even if you’re intimidated by math, the concept of the 1/128th Method is pretty simple, especially for single-nozzle calibration.
The 1/128th Method is based on the fact that there are 128 ounces in a gallon. So, if you measure how many ounces of water you spray to cover 1/128th of an acre (an area that's 18.5 feet X 18.5 feet), that will tell you how many gallons of water you would spray to cover an entire acre because they're each proportionate. Then if you know how many gallons your equipment sprays per acre, you’ll know what the herbicide label means when it says to apply the chemical at a rate of, for example, 1 quart per acre.
Confused? It’s as easy as falling off a bike. Really. Let us show you.
For help calibrating your spray equipment, call your local FCWP shop to schedule a consultation and a qualified staff member will be glad to assist at no charge: Lander 332-3709, Riverton 856-2192, Dubois 240-0710.
Remember, too much herbicide in your mix could result in killing non-target grasses or other desirable plants and trees. Not enough herbicide in your tank mix could result in not killing the weeds you’re after. Neither is a good thing and can be expensive, but if you’re calibrated you can get it right.
Meet the new scourge of leafy spurge
Join us in welcoming Fremont County Weed and Pest's new program manager and GIS specialist Blair Gauthier who was hired this spring.
His summertime work will focus on leafy spurge herbicide applications in the Lander area, among other duties. During winters he’ll make valuable contributions assisting with the management of the district’s GIS programs.
Blair grew up on his family's ranch in Rozet, a small community in northeast Wyoming. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2013 with a B.S. in Range Management. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and snowmobiling.
Reminder: Summer Shop Hours
Our shop locations are open during summer on alternating days for chemical sales and equipment rentals.
The Riverton Shop at 1446 Cowboy Lane is open Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (856-2192).
The Lander Shop at 56 Tweed Lane is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (332-3709).
Both shops are closed on Wednesdays.
Newsletter content by FCWP Specialist Wesley Smalling and staff contributions.
Photos by FCWP staff unless otherwise noted.
FCWP in Lander
Courthouse Office 332-1052
Shop/Warehouse 332-3709
56 Tweed Lane
So how did these invasive weeds get here? Over the last century they were brought here by people, either intentionally as ornamental plantings or by accident as seeds stuck to people’s feet, wheels and other vectors.
