More than 50% of Ravalli County lands are infested with noxious weeds. Unfortunately, on the 1,200 acres protected at Teller Wildlife Refuge (TWR), we have identified 12 "Category One" noxious weeds (see from the list below). Over the past 15 years, we have made several attacks on weed species, and what we have learned is that our attempts to control weeds are ineffective in the absence of a comprehensive integrated weed management plan.

As part of the plan development, in cooperation with the Missoula and Ravalli County Weed Districts, all of the weed species on Teller's 1,200 acres were inventoried and GIS-mapped in 2004. Sharon Browder, of Stonehouse Landscape Designs and the former Region 6 invasive Weed Specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, developed our Integrated Weed Management Plan. The first stages of this plan are done in test plots and include eradication of new infestations, imporved access management to reduce seed distribution, mowing, hand-pulling, knapweed and thistle biocontrol, and revegetation.

Weed management at any level is an expensive process; however, doing nothing for weed management is not an option. Weeds out-compete and displace native plant species; drastically altering the natural checks and balances within an ecosystem. They change the soil chemistry and composition, and increase erosion. Simply eliminating a weed only opens a site for a potentially more damaging weed to invade, so we also replant and reseed areas with beneficial plants. The next step in the plan is to evaluate the success and feasibility of methods tested and create new steps to include many options for weed control such as grazing, cultivating, mowing, revegetation, herbicide application, biocontrol, hand pulling, and wetland creation.