- Ensures the Forest Service and the BLM are fully engaged and committed to noxious weed control on federal public lands.

- Creates a comprehensive noxious weed strategy that would ensure better cooperation between land agencies, local counties, and the public.

- Seeks to secure additional funding (either through the Heritage Act or through a separate congressional action) to help counties along the Front fight noxious weeds.

Why focus on noxious weeds?

One of the greatest threats to the ecological and economic integrity of the public and private lands of the Rocky Mountain Front is the spread of noxious weeds.  Noxious weeds like leafy spurge and spotted knapweed can render many range sites useless for cattle production by displacing valuable forage, reduce the value of private land, push native wildlife away, and end up costing Montanans millions in the long term through loss of tourism revenues. 

Aren’t local weed control efforts already doing enough?

According to the Montana Weed Management Plan, “inadequate financial and manpower resources are available to effectively manage noxious weeds in Montana. Increased funding to private land managers, county weed districts, federal, and state agencies, and improving efficiency and organization of grass-roots efforts are needed to move Montana forward in effective weed management.”

What would the Heritage Act do?

The Coalition to Protect the Rocky Mountain Front wants to support the ongoing good work of counties and other public and private interests that are actively involved in fighting weeds on the Front by ensuring the threat is properly assessed and more resource are spent combating it.

Why coordinate land agencies?

The Forest Service and the BLM need be fully engaged and committed to noxious weed control on the federal public lands.  By requiring that the Forest Service prepare a comprehensive weed management strategy we will identify the true scope of noxious weeds and create opportunities to find additional resources necessary to eradicate noxious weeds within the Management Area and prevent their spread.

 How will the Coalition fund more noxious weed work?

The Coalition is committed to helping secure $200,000 a year for 10 years for Front counties.  If it is not possible to do so directly through an appropriation within the Heritage Act then we will work with Montana’s Congressional delegation to find other means – such as attaching our funding request to an existing appropriation bill; amending an existing law to authorize an expenditure for the Front noxious weed work; or identifying and allocating funds within an existing federal program.

How will the funding be used?

The money would be used to help local counties: Glacier, Pondera, Teton, and Lewis and Clark fight weeds.  Our intent is that the appropriation would have no effect on the amount of any payment received by a county from the Federal Government. Nor would the funds appropriated within this Act impact existing agency and multi-agency programs that support local and regional weed prevention and control projects.