Mount Rose Noxious Weed Monitoring, Treatment & Re-Seeding #10

Project Description:

Staff will monitor known weed sites during April tracking spread of plants and efficacy of the previous year’s treatment and reseeding. During May and June, staff will lead volunteers to noxious weeds sites and remove them with shovels and by hand. If plants have produced flowers, we will clip the seed heads and pack them out to be safely disposed of. In the fall, staff will lead volunteers to previously identified sites to disperse native seeds by hand. Some snacks, additional water, training, education, and all necessary tools and personal protective equipment will be provided by FNW.

TMWA Benefit:

Our projects are in line with multiple grant priorities, specifically priority #2 (Watershed Improvements), priority #4 (Re-Forestation and Re-Vegetation Projects:) priority #6 (Stewardship and Environmental Awareness), and priority #7 (Meet Multiple Objectives). Noxious weeds, specifically Musk Thistle, pose a significant threat to the health of the Truckee River Watershed. Through volunteer removal projects, we will improve the health of the Truckee River Watershed by removing noxious weeds and replacing them with seeds of native plants. Reducing the number of weeds in the Hunter Creek area (a main tributary to the Truckee River) will improve the water quality, reduce soil erosion, and slow the spread further downstream, as well as enhance the recreation qualities of the Hunter Creek Trail – the most popular trail within the Reno/Sparks urban interface. Our long-standing treatment program actively engages and educates the public on the importance of noxious weed management. After just one project, volunteers have a basic understanding of the negative effects of noxious weeds and the importance of controlling them as related to the habitat and greater watershed. By educating the public on these issues, we can inspire more stewardship and awareness of the entire watershed and our water supply.