County weed board researching assessment funding

Noxious weed laws have been on the books in Washington state sine 1881 — even before Washington became a state.

Settlers recognized the economic harm noxious weeds could cause their budding industries. Fast-forward to 1985 when Pend Oreille County established the county weed board, farmers and ranchers — including those in western Bonner County who utilize the board’s service — could feel the negative affect noxious weeds were having on their enterprises and petitioned the commissioners for its activation. At that time, funding for the programs and policies developed by the weed board was not secured for the long-term, POC officials said in a press release. The weed board is working with the county commissioners to correct this oversight.

How do noxious weeds and other invasive species cause economic harm today? The Washington State Invasive Species Council released a report documenting the economic loss potential of allowing the uncontrolled spread of invasive species, by 12% annually, within the state. Of over 200 invasive species present within or in proximity to the state, only 23 were analyzed for their potential annual impact of $1.3 billion.

Scotch broom, a shrubby weed, readily invades range, pasture and forest lands interfering with grazing and reforestation. It is also suspected of being toxic to elk, harming habitat and the recreational industry. The potential annual impact is $142.7 million in lost sales and a loss of 660 jobs. The annual average impact per infested county is $2.9 million. Although Scotch broom is widespread on the west side of the state, it only occurs in small, isolated patches within Pend Oreille County. As seeds can persist in the soil for 80 years, staying on top of an annual survey and treatment for this weed is critical for any hope of eliminating it and the damage it can cause to our local habitat and economy.

Rush skeletonweed is a large, often spindly weed that invades crop, pasture, and range lands. It readily spreads into dense patches by both wind-borne seed and budding from an extensive root system. The economic investigation into its damage found the potential annual impact is $149.2 million and puts 1,080 jobs at risk of loss. Rush skeletonweed is rapidly invading the south end of the county from extensive populations in Spokane County. A few isolated plants have been found in the north end of the county, most likely brought in by seed carried and dropped by a vehicle, contaminated agricultural products, or blown on the wind from Spokane as studies have shown it can carry on the wind for 100 miles.

Noxious weeds also invade wildlands and water, impacting fish and wildlife habitats, they degrade water quality, and recreational activities and access. The direct loss to recreational activities is estimated to be $20.5 million per year.

More personally, noxious weeds affect property values. A University of Idaho study in 2015 of Lake Coeur d’Alene found waterfront property values dropped an average of $64,000 if the frontage was infested with Eurasian watermilfoil. Although not as well studied, land weeds can also damage property values. It’s been established that a well-kept property with curb appeal will command a higher purchase price than a weed infested waste land.

There are several tools available to landowners to embark upon a noxious weed management program. Choosing which tool or tools to use under which circumstance can be simplified by running the options through the nuanced decision-making matrix of an Integrated Weed Management (IWM) plan. The key to successful implementation is consistent monitoring from which you can adapt implementation of your management tools.

Success with noxious weed management comes with consistent survey (monitoring) and treatment. To achieve this requires consistent funding. The Weed Board has been funded though the county’s general fund, putting it in competition with all the other departments for a limited amount of funding that has not been able to keep abreast of need over the years. Funding through a weed assessment would give the Weed Board consistent and dedicated funding as it would not be able to be used for other purposes. This would also free up money from the general fund for other services.

A weed assessment is different from a tax in that it is a flat fee for Weed Board specific services based on the parcel’s use and size. The first step in setting up assessment funding is to classify lands based on their use. The weed board held a hearing last September and established the four general land classifications of agriculture, timber, waterfront and other.

While the board have developed a rate structure to propose to the commissioners, officials now need to hear from the public.

Residents are asked visit an online survey and answer a few questions. The answers will help to guide the board as it moves forward. Or look for a postcard in the mail, which will have a QR code and URL link for quick access. If you do not have internet connection, call 509-447-2402 to request a paper copy be mailed to you or stop by 227-B South Garden Ave. in Newport to grab a copy.

By legal definition, noxious weeds are nonnative plants that are difficult to control and cause harm to our resources — agricultural, natural, and human. Over the past five decades, researchers have studied and documented the various physical damage to our resources that the presence of noxious weeds cause. Recently, economists have been able to correlate the spread of noxious weeds to damage in dollars and job loss across the sectors of our state’s economy. The root word, “eco” means home. Our ecosystems contain the resources and services necessary to the functioning of our home. The economy is the allocation of those resources and services to keep our home running smoothly. Damage to one will automatically damage the other.