By Linda Habeck, Corvallis
Open Letter to Ravalli County Weed Board & Department & Residents of Ravalli County:
I’m writing this letter because I feel that if the alyssum weed problem in Ravalli County isn’t attacked not only by the weed department, but landowners of the County, the valley’s entire hay production is at risk in the very near future.
Hoary Alyssum: White flowering weeds growing rampant along Ravalli County Roadsides and pastures and is starting to infest its way into hay fields. One single plant can produce 2,500 seeds, stay viable in the ground for 9 years and displaces native species. In horses, ingestion of 30% is enough to cause serious various health issues. Larger ingestion can cause death. Info at: extension.wsu.edu/whitman/2013/11/hoary-alyssum/
For over 10 years alyssum has been allowed to propagate, unchecked, along the road sides by the Ravalli County Weed Department. It’s clear that the weed department is incapable of getting a handle on alyssum on the County road sides. From there it continues to creep into both pastures and hay fields.
Until the County Commissioners insist that the County Weed Department take fast and aggressive action by contracting the spraying out to licensed professional people, in another 5 years, good productive hay fields will be in real jeopardy. As the alyssum continues to comingle in the hay fields, what then?? If alyssum toxicity levels become high enough in the hay, horse owners won’t be buying it.
Montana Code Section 7-22-2116; In essence, its unlawful to permit noxious weeds to propagate or go to seed on the persons land. It also states the owner have some sort of weed management program in place. Another portion of that Code is; when property is offered for sale, the person who owns the property shall notify the owner’s agent and the purchaser of the existence of noxious weed infestation on the property and that some sort of weed program is in place. It’s my understanding that there is a disclosure referring to that in the buy / sell agreement, though I feel that a prospective buyer should be informed up front that the property they are considering has noxious weeds. It would make sense to me to make my property as attractive as I could to a buyer. In the 40 years I’ve lived here, other than filing a personal complaint, I wonder if any landowner has been cited for harboring noxious weeds? Somehow there must be consequences for landowners allowing noxious weeds to propagate on their land and spill over to the conscientious landowner that works hard to keep their property, neat, tidy and weed free. Personal property rights SHOULD work both ways.
In this upswing of building currently going on in the valley, how often are gravel pits inspected and are fines levied for those with noxious weeds??
Unfortunately, eradicating alyssum is not a one shot deal. Personally, I have been fighting it steadily for over 10 years. I’ve pulled bags and bags of it, along with untold gallons of spray using a backpack sprayer.. You have to go back every 2 weeks and check again. Mowing only spreads it. It’s going to take a huge joint effort of the County and landowners to even begin to get a handle on it. I’ve talked to the weed department for years about alyssum and gotten nowhere, though I was assured, they were working on it? Thus far, in my travels around the county this summer, I have yet to see one County roadside that’s been sprayed.
Please educate yourself about hoary alyssum and contact the Country Weed Department at cschram@rc.mt.gov and the County Commissioners at 375-6500 or email gwiles@rc.mt.gov and insist that something be done.