LAKEPORT >> An additional section in the Lake County Weed Management Plan addressing the impact of invasive weeds on native plants and animals during the drought was approved by the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday during their regular meeting.
The topic was originally schedule for the board”s Dec. 2 meeting.
Used a means to “battle invasive weed populations,” the plan uses adaptive management methodologies to survey and eradicate invasive weeds, as well as monitor control activities.
According to the report, invasive weeds result in the loss of habitat, damage to agriculture and a negative effect on water quality and quantity, which is only increased during a drought.
“Invasive weeds have a tendency to use large amounts of additional water,” Lake County Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik said. “The issue of invasive weed effects on water consumption is very species and environment specific.”
According to the update, a 2009 study conducted by the School of Forest and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University found that non-native invasive weed species, at the ecosystem scale, consumed an average of 50-percent more water than native plant dominated ecosystems.
Additionally, invasive weeds carry an environmental and economical cost, some of which is due to necessary control measures. The loss of productivity and a decrease in tourism are a larger part of this measure.
Objectives of the Weed Management Plan include finding partners and stakeholders to better coordinate activities; providing public education and outreach programs; collecting baseline date through surveying and mapping infestations; identifying funding sources with weed management criteria, as well as securing foundation, local, state, and federal funding.
By adding the drought section to the plan, funding opportunities may be obtainable for controlling invasive weeds in the future, should funding sources become available.
During public comment, county resident Joan Moss asked if new section addressed the aquatic plant Hydrilla.
Hajik said it does not.
However, Hydrilla is addressed in the plan”s Aquatic and Riparian program section, which was approved by the supervisors in June 2006 as part of a non-native invasive aquatic plant ordinance.
The board unanimously approved the additional section with a 5-0 vote.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
