San Benito County WMA

Chair: Ron Ross, San Benito County Department of Agriculture

General contact: Ron Ross at ron@agcom.co.san-benito.ca.us or fax: (831) 637-9015

Meetings: Quarterly

Formed: 2001

Events

  • Education workshops held every fall.

Project Highlights:

Inventorying

  • A survey of weeds along County roads was conducted in 2001. This survey covered 350 miles of County roads recording the types, density, and extent of noxious weed populations. Using GIS, this data was converted to detailed maps, which were used to help determine what control activities should take place.

Education

  • The WMA organizes educational programs and develop an awareness plan which focuses on educational needs. This entails weed prevention, weed detection, weed control methods, weed biology, weed identification, weed economics, and environmental impacts. Outreach includes education workshops, weed control studies and weed identification.

Control

  • Control work is primarily focused on five weeds: Yellow Starthistle, Purple Starthistle, Artichoke thistle, Scotch Thistle and Giant reed.

Other Regular Participants

  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service – Pinnacles National Monument
  • San Benito County Agricultural
  • California Department of Transportation
  • California State Parks – Hollister Hills SVRA
  • San Benito County Farm Bureau
  • California Dept. of Food and Agriculture
  • San Benito County Road Department
  • San Benito County Cattleman’s Association
  • USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
  • University of California Cooperative Extension
  • San Benito Resource Conservation District
  • Professional Computer Solutions