Polk County Cooperative Weed Management Area

The Polk County Cooperative Weed Management Area (PCCWMA) group obtained  a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Foundation to conduct a baseline  inventory of species/infestations along county roads, township roads,  state highways, and gravel pits. The PCCWMA identified the need to  expand both the number of species/infestations being recorded and the  survey area. Prior data only included information about Canada thistle,  spotted knapweed, and leafy spurge infestations along county roads and  state highways. 

The PCCWMA established leafy spurge, spotted  knapweed, thistle species, and cattails as priority species.  Additionally, secondary plants of concern for the county included common  toadflax, common tansy, cow vetch, crown vetch, oxeye daisy, Queen  Ann’s lace and wild parsnip. All roads in Polk County were surveyed and  noxious and invasive weed infestations in the road right-of-way were  recorded using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Data  collection was completed in the summer of 2009 and 2010. 

All  available data was combined to produce a baseline map of infestations to  be used as a planning tool to effectively target treatment resources to  the highest priority areas.