Invasive Species Day at the Capitol held February 22
On February 22 organizations from around the state filled the Helena Capitol rotunda with information to share with legislators. Sub-zero temperatures and poor road conditions prevented some exhibitors from traveling to Helena, but the exhibitors in attendance more than made up for their absence.
Thank you to all our partners working to identify, prevent, manage and control invasive species in Montana.
The Pull Your Share Project helps facilitates teachers and their classes to adopt recreational sites such as campgrounds, trailheads, and boat launches, that have noxious weeds. The teachers and their students return to their adopted noxious weed sites each spring for educational weed pulls. The events are hosted by personnel from natural resource agencies who share information about noxious weeds and about their jobs, thus exposing students to different career opportunities.
This grass roots program started in Great Falls and is spreading across the state.
Click to view their website!
68th Montana Legislature
Information about the session can be found here - Session Information
These are bills MISC is following:
Unintroduced Bills
- LC 0230 - Transfer Montana Aquatic Invasive Species Act to DNRC
- LC 1719 - Montana pollinator protection act
- LC 1721 - Generally revise pesticide disposal laws.
- LC 1738 - Study of pollinator population health
- LC 1853 - Generally revise aquatic invasive species laws.
- LC 3469 - Referendum to repeal Art. IX, section 6 of MT Constitution
- LC 3470 - Make Art. IX, sec 6 of MT Constitution statutory.
- LC 3999 - Revise laws related to certain mussels.
- LC 4265 - Generally revise aquatic invasive species funding laws.
Leafy Spurge and Native Look-a-Like
Many of the plants on Montana’s noxious weed list have native species look-a-likes that are often times confused. Leafy spurge and Western gromwell are two of those plants. Leafy spurge is designated as a state listed noxious weed, while western gromwell is a native wildflower. Learn the differences between the two plants.
 Bugwood Photo: Leafy Spurge
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Watch the video to learn the difference between Leafy Spurge (noxious) and Western Gromwell (native).
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Learn more about Leafy Spurge from MSU Extension.
PNWER Visits the Helena Capitol
PNWER Delegation meeting with MT Governor Greg Gianforte
A Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) delegation traveled to Helena for a series of meetings at the Montana State Capitol the week of January 16th.
PNWER presented before the Senate Natural Resources Committee, where the delegation was able to share information about several PNWER initiatives and gave an update on regional AIS funding to the committee. Thomas Woolf, AIS Bureau Chief at MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, was invited to provide an extensive overview of Montana’s current AIS efforts and answer numerous questions from legislators around Montana's strategy to combat invasive mussels.
The delegation included PNWER President Senator Chuck Winder (ID); Senator Mike Cuffe (MT), Past PNWER President; Andrew Fisher, Director of U.S. West Coast for the Government of Alberta; Senator John Brenden, Montana Governor’s PNWER Representative; Matt Morrison; and Nate Weigel.
Read more about their visit here.
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