Montana Weed Control Association to Hold Training in Deer Lodge

The Montana Weed Control Association is a member-supported 501(c)3 non-profit organization started in the 1960's by extension agents and weed managers.

Over the years the MWCA has expanded to include professional weed managers, weed control businesses (grazing, commercial applicators, bio-control agent providers, re-vegetation and planning specialists), ranchers, farmers, educators, researchers, students, government officials at the city, county, state and federal levels, recreationalists, visitors to Montana and private landowners. The MWCA is funded primarily through membership dues, fees from educational trainings and publications, specialty plate license plate fees, and grants and donations.

The MWCA mission statement is "Working together to strengthen and support noxious weed management efforts in Montana", and the goal of the organization is to facilitate long-term, ecologically based, integrated noxious weed management programs throughout Montana. Areas of focus include (1) networking: to create and sustain channels that encourage collaboration, participation, and sharing of knowledge and expertise; (2) education: to provide non-biased and balanced collection, sharing, and dissemination of noxious weed knowledge to the membership and the public; and (3) research assistance: to gather input from members to ascertain research priorities, to communicate priorities and needs to the research community, to assist in the funding process, and to relay research results back to the membership.

On Feb. 29 the Powell County Invasive Plants District will host a Southwest Area MWCA applicator Training at the community center. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and presentations will begin at 8:45 a.m. and continue until 4:00 p.m. with refreshments throughout the day and lunch provided.

Presentations are "The Battle at Big Sur, Bill Reynolds, Aerial Technologies; Western Weeds to Watch For, Josh Wagoner, MT Dept. of Ag EDDR; Biological Control in Montana, Melissa Maggio, MT Biocontrol Project Coordinator; Pollinator Conservation and Pesticide Safety in Turf and Ornamental Landscapes, Abi Saeed, MSU Extension; Aquatic Plant Management, Thomas J. McNabb, President & Thomas J. Moorhouse, Vice President, Clean Lakes Inc.; and Strategies for Managing Invasive Winter Annual Grasses, Shannon Clark Range & Pasture/VM Stewardship and Development Manager for the Northern Plains region for Envu.

The cost for the event is: $20.00 for MWCA members, $30.00 for Non-members and $10.00 Southwestern Area Coordinators. Pre-registration is available on the MWCA website at: mtweed.org, or you may RSVP [email protected] or 406.560.2919 (call or text) by February 23rd. For those with current applicator licenses, the following recertification credits are available: Dealer 6 credits, Aerial 1, Agriculture and Plant Pest Control 3, Forest Pest Control 3, Ornamental and Turf Pest Control 2, and Aquatic Pest Control 1 credit.