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Noxious Weeds -- The Cancer of our Land

Control and managing noxious weeds in the State of Idaho requires and understanding of the problem, and that begins with detection and identification of noxious weeds.
Weeds cost millions of dollars to our State by:

• degrading wildlife habitat,

• choking steams and waterways,

• Crowding out beneficial native plants,

• creating fire hazards in our forests and on our ranges,

• poisoning and injuring livestock and humans, and

• fouling recreation sites from use.

The spread of noxious weeds may signal the decline of entire ecological watersheds. They severely impact the beauty and widespread economic losses. Weeds are problems for urban as well as rural areas, and for private, state, and federal lands. Noxious weed species spare no segment of society--rancher, fisher, and biker alike--and when unmanaged they spread rapidly, unceasingly, and silently.

Noxious weeds pose a serious threat to all Idahoans and to the land we call home.

Patrick A. Takasugi, Director
Idaho Department of Agriculture
http://www.agri.state.id.us
Booklets available with information about the 36 noxious weeds in Idaho
Stop by and pick one up!
University of Idaho--Cooperative Extension System