El Dorado County Invasive Weed Management Group – California Invasive Plant Council

Chairs: LeeAnne Mila, El Dorado County Agricultural Commissioner
Scott Onetto, UC Cooperative Extension

General contact: LeeAnne Mila, 530-621-7403, leeanne.mila@edcgov.us

Mapping contact: LeeAnne Mila, 530-621-7403, leeanne.mila@edcgov.us

Meetings: 4-5 times per year in the Agriculture Building, 311 Fair Lane, Placerville

Website: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/ag/pages/invasive_weeds.aspxhttp://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/ag/weeds.html

Outreach Summary:

Two weed identification and control workshops are held each year – one of which takes place at a demonstration site
Multiple workshops are held for on-the-ground crews of water district and California Department of Transportation employees
During California Invasive Weed Awareness Week, the WMA posts an informative display at the local library
From 2001-2004, 5,900 members of the public attended workshops and events hosted by the WMA – topics addressed included prevention of weed spread, threats to agriculture and wildlife, and invasive plant identification.

El Dorado County Noxious Weed Management Group aims to prevent further spread of yellow starthistle (YST). The Sierra’s easternmost exposure to YST was determined by surveying, and further eastward encroachment is being prevented by mechanical removal and chemical treatment. A total of 500 acres of YST has been treated. Project partners include Eldorado National Forest, Sierra Pacific Industries, El Dorado County Department of Agriculture, private landowners, and the El Dorado Irrigation District.

In order to protect threatened species in the Eldorado National Forest, a total of about 50 acres of spotted knapweed has been chemically treated by the WMA in the Cleveland Fire Area. Monitoring continues in the area, which will prevent further spread of spotted knapweed down the Silver Creek Tributary to the South Fork of the American River. Additional partners include Sierra Pacific Industries and the El Dorado County Department of Agriculture.

The WMA is working with the El Dorado County Department of Agriculture, UC Cooperative Extension, private landowners, and contractors to prevent the spread of perennial pepperweed and oblong spurge in the Fairplay and El Dorado Hill areas of western El Dorado County. The weeds are spread easily in areas like these, which have new housing and road construction. The WMA will conduct surveys along 500 miles of roads to find extent of the infestation. They will disseminate information about Best Management Practices for preventing and eradicating the species through publications and at workshops for contractors, builders and landscapers.