October 9, 2025

Headlines

Firewood Month Webinars

It's that time of year again! The temperature is cooling, the leaves are changing, and the Don't Move Firewood team is gearing up for FIREWOOD MONTH!

See the exciting line up of speakers this October for the 2025 Firewood Month Webinar Series! See the registration links below or head to this page for more details.

Thursday, Oct. 16^th @ 12:00 MST

Beyond Wooden Thinking: Getting to the Heartwood of the Matter. This talk will focus on human behavior and firewood characteristics. Presentation by John Riggins, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Oregon State University

Register Here

Tuesday, Oct. 28^th @ 2pm MST

Wildfire Fuel: How Destructive Forest Pests Travel in Firewood. This talk will focus on gold-spotted oak borer in Southern California. Presentation by Joelene Tamm, Natural Resources Director for the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians

Register Here

Wednesday Oct. 29^th @ 11am MST

Updates on Emerald Ash Borer in the Pacific Northwest. This talk will focus on recent infestation and quarantine updates across Oregon and Washington. Presentation by Wyatt Williams and others with the Oregon Dept. of Forestry as well as staff of the Washington Invasive Species Council

Register Here

See the updated Firewood Month Toolkit for those interested in participating in this yearly outreach initiative and further promoting messages on responsible firewood practices to reduce the spread of harmful forest pests and pathogens.

Rush Skeletonweed

Montana Department of Agriculture Confirms New Rush Skeletonweed Sites in Western Montana

Helena, Mont. - The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirmed rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) in recent weeks at several sites outside its historic invaded range in the state. These include two plants in the I-90 median west of Three Forks, a few plants at two locations south of Dillon on I-15, and individual plants located where recent forest fires occurred near Wise River and Wisdom.

Montana Invasive Species Council Fall Meeting

October 16 at the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery

MISC members and partners at the July MISC meeting in Trout Creek

Join the Montana Invasive Species Council (MISC) at our next meeting on Oct 16th at the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery. Invited guests will sharing information about the Saskatchewan feral swine program and the North Dakota aquatic invasive species.

Following the meeting MISC, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the McCone Conservation District will host an open house at the Nashua Watercraft Inspection Station.

Register to attend:  https://mtdnrc.formstack.com/forms/octobermeeting

Deadline to register is October 9th.

News

Mussel Detection in North Dakota

Zebra Mussels Discovered in Smishek Lake

North Dakota Game and Fish - The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has confirmed the presence of invasive zebra mussels in Smishek Lake, Burke County, after detecting zebra mussel veligers in routine plankton tow net samples. 

 WA and OR Recall Wild Bird Seed Containing Invasive Weed Seeds

Palmer Amaranth Detected in Grocery Store Parking Lot

Oregon Department of Agriculture – The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) have issued a recall of Signature Pet Care Songbird Blend Wild Bird Food 7 LB, sold at Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen stores in in WA and OR, and manufactured by Global Harvest Foods. The recalled product carries UPC 021130037629 and sell by date code 01/10/2027 M3D S3501.

Palmer amaranth was first detected in WA in 2023, and it was added to the state’s plant quarantine list on Aug. 9, 2025.The invasive plant was also detected in fields in Marion and Malheur Counties in 2024, which triggered its addition to Oregon’s noxious weed quarantine last year. According to WSDA and ODA, this plant is highly invasive; can grow more than 10 feet tall; is resistant to many herbicides; and a single plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds. Left uncontrolled, it can choke out crops such as corn, soybeans, and small grains; reduce harvest yields; and drive up weed-control costs for farmers. It also threatens native plant habitats and can quickly spread beyond managed areas. If consumed in large quantities Palmer amaranth can be toxic to ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, goats).

This recall was initiated after a Spokane County Noxious Weed Board employee observed Palmer amaranth growing in a Safeway parking lot landscape area.

Events

Emerald Ash Borer Workshop in Ismay

Join Chloe Rice (MSU Extension Insect Diagnostician) on Monday, October 6th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Knowlton Community Hall for a free workshop on the emerald ash borer (EAB). EAB is a destructive pest which has already killed millions of ash trees in other states but has not yet been detected in Montana. During this workshop, you will learn how to inspect ash trees for damage, what EAB looks like, how to prevent its spread, and what to do if you find them. Specimens of the beetle and look-alike insects will be available to look at.

The talk is open to the public and is FREE of charge. When: Monday, October 6, 2025, from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Location: Knowlton Community Hall, 1533 Road 403, Ismay, Montana. For questions or additional information contact the Custer County MSU Extension office at 406-874-3370.

Montana Weed Control Association

Webinars

NAISMA Shot-Hole Borer

Wednesday October 8th @ 12:00pm MST

The polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) is a tiny but devastating invasive beetle that poses a major threat to urban forests and natural ecosystems. First detected in California in 2003 and more recently in Western Australia, PSHB carries a fungal pathogen that disrupts water and nutrient flow in trees, leading to branch dieback and, in severe cases, tree death.

Join this insightful webinar as Dr. Shannon Lynch shares lessons learned from decades of PSHB management in California—including surveillance, host tree impacts, and community engagement strategies—and how these experiences are shaping Western Australia’s response to this emerging threat.

Firewood Month Webinars

Thursday, Oct. 16^th @ 12-1pm MST

• Beyond Wooden Thinking: Getting to the Heartwood of the Matter.

Tuesday, Oct. 28^th @ 2-3pm MST

• Wildfire Fuel: How Destructive Forest Pests Travel in Firewood.

Wednesday Oct. 29^th @ 11-12pm MST

• Updates on Emerald Ash Borer in the Pacific Northwest. 

Save the Date

• Oct 14-16: Montana Weed Control Association Fall Training - Fort Peck
• Oct 16: Montana Invasive Species Council Meeting - Fort Peck
• Oct 17: Nashua Watercraft Inspection Station Tour - Nashua
• Oct 29-30: MT FWP AIS Summit - Helena
• Nov 3-6: NAISMA Conference - Lake Tahoe - Stateline, NV
• Dec 2-3: Westen Weed Coordinating Committee Annual Meeting - Denver, CO
• Dec 9-10: International Invasive Species & Climate Change Conference- virtual