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Submodule 5: Most Common Western Rangelands Weeds
How to Collect a Sample of a Possible Weed Plant
If you are not certain about the identity of a possible weed you have found, do the following:
- Before you remove any plant material from a site, you should have the permission of landowners, local authorities, or other stakeholders.
- Have necessary supplies readily available including gloves, boots, and garbage bags.
- Take a sample plant that seems representative of the entire population.
- Be careful as some weeds are poisonous and many can cause skin or eye irritations. Best to use gloves and other protective clothing for your arms and eyes when handling the plant.
- Try to collect a sample that has a flower or a fruit attached; this makes it much easier to identify.
- Collect the entire plant if possible including roots; if the plant is a shrub or tree, collect branches preferably with flower or fruit attached. Ideally, place the plant in a bag and store it in a cool, dry place.
- Wash hands thoroughly after handling the plant.
- Record the date and location as specifically as possible
- In an urban or suburban area, this can be as simple as jotting down an address. In rural or wilderness areas, it can be a bit more challenging to mark and then relocate an exact site. Use a GPS unit to do this if available.
- Note the approximate size of the infestation, even if you simply estimate its size compared to, say, a football field or the length of a city block.
- Record information about the plant’s habitat including surrounding plants, elevation, proximity to water source, soil type, and whether it is growing in shade or sun.
- Let the landowner or land management agencies know about the weed-infested area so they can take steps to eradicate or control the weeds.
- Identify and/or map native plant species present at the site.
Local officials including those affiliated with Cooperative Weed Management Areas and Cooperative Extension can also assist you to identify weed specimens you have collected. Following is a list of links to state-level Cooperative extension web sites to help you contact these officials:
Other helpful web resources include the Center for Invasive Plant Management (CIPM) www.weedcenter.org/, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Weeds Website, www.blm.gov/weeds, and the Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW) ficmnew.fws.gov/.
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