Klamath County, Oregon – Aiming to stop the spread of invading grasses, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will start a series of aerial herbicide applications across almost 2,599 acres in Klamath County starting September 25. Planned until October 31, 2024, this environmental management initiative depends on good weather.
Mostly east of Klamath Falls, the targeted areas consist of locations that have historically experienced wildfires including the Golden Fire area southeast of Bly Mountain Pass and the Van Meter Fire area next to Weber Road on Stukel Mountain. Additional sites include Lorella, the Windy Ridge region’s public lands close to the Town of Bonanza, Horsecamp Rim and Lower Midway southeast of Gerber Recreation area.
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The main objective of this operation is to stop three specific species of invading annual grasses—North Africa grass (Ventenata dubia), medusahead rye (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) from growing and spreading. These species alter fire regimes and replace native plants, therefore endangering local ecosystems.
Imazapic is a pre-emergent herbicide chosen for this job that stops the germination of these unwelcome winter annual grasses. Additionally, the treatment is scheduled to coincide with the hibernation period of native perennial bunchgrasses, which the herbicide will not influence.
The BLM will post maps at major road entrances to the project areas in preparation for these uses to guide and inform the public. Depending on the weather, the government counsels the community not to camp or travel through certain places throughout the treatment period—which will run up to two weeks. This step guarantees the safety of both the aerial applicators and the public.
For those seeking more information about these upcoming projects, the BLM has made available contact details for Trisha Roninger, Assistant Field Manager, at 541-885-4109, and Kerry Johnston, Botanist, at 541-885-4136. They can offer more details on specific treatments and answer additional questions the public might have.
The BLM oversees about 245 million acres of public property spread over 12 western states. The agency’s goal is to preserve America’s public lands’ health, diversity, and productivity for current and next generations. This initiative in Klamath County is a part of their larger efforts to protect the natural surroundings and guarantee sustainable land use methods.
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