“North Dakota’s river systems are valued economic and biological resources that North Dakotans depend on every day for drinking water, power generation, recreation/tourism, irrigation, and other agricultural uses. These river systems serve as and/or maintain critical wildlife habitat. The future of our population, ecological biodiversity and economy will depend on how we are able to maintain and control our water resources.”—Rachel Seifert-Spilde, North Dakota State Weed Coordinator
Our department became involved in the MRWC when it was first formed, as the Missouri River is a major watershed in our state important for all aspects of North Dakota living. The River is a critical component for recreation, tourism, irrigation, water supply, power generation, and wildlife habitat, among many other things. Saltcedar is an ever-threatening noxious weed that we aim to keep in check and hope to eradicate one day. The MRWC is an important voice and vehicle to aid our state and spread the word, individually and nationally, about not only saltcedar, but all invasive plants threatening the Missouri River Watershed.
Our top three noxious weeds, which infest over one million acres are Canada thistle, leafy spurge (both infest over one million acres) and absinth wormwood (approximately 400,000 acres reported in 2009). Collectively, noxious weeds infest approximately 2.5 million acres in North Dakota. Our grant programs help control these infestations by providing funding to local entities who provide on-the-ground control. The funding we have also assists us in coordinating biocontrol in the state, providing millions of insects for control of leafy spurge, Canada thistle, and knapweed to landowners, hosting and co-hosting educational events, helping with biocontrol research with North Dakota State University, and conducting our Weed Seed Free Forage program (increasing in participation each year).
North Dakota budgets approximately $1.8 million from the Environment and Rangeland Protection Fund for noxious weed control. We allocate $900,000 for our Landowner Assistance program and $224,000 for our Targeted Assistance Grant Program.
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 602
Bismarck, ND 58505
Phone: (701) 328-2231
Toll-free: (800) 242-7535
Fax: (701) 328-4567
Email: ndda@nd.gov
Website: www.agdepartment.com
County Weed Coordinators List
Rachel Seifert-Splide
Noxious Weeds Specialist
Phone: (701) 328-2983
Email: rseifert@nd.gov
