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The Montana Noxious Weed Education Campaign, hereafter referred to as the Campaign, is a cooperative, statewide effort to increase and elevate noxious weed

logo for Montana Noxious Weed Education Campaign

knowledge throughout Montana. The mission of the Campaign is “To educate the people of Montana about the economic and environmental impacts of noxious weeds while encouraging the public to participate in ecologically based integrated weed management.”  Started in 1996, the Campaign cooperates with federal, state, county, and tribal land management agencies and non-govermental organizations to develop and distribute noxious weed educational materials.  Some highlights from Campaign activities in 2015 are featured in this Monthly Weed Post.

To elevate noxious weed education into action and promote the idea of, “What can I DO to help?” the Campaign promoted the national invasive species education campaign, ‘Play.Clean.Go.’ (PCG).

AATM boot brush kiosk sign and poster for hunt clean go with hunter using bootbrush

Messaging was modified to reach target audiences.  For example, Hunt.Clean.Go. and Ride.Clean.Go. rack cards and posters have been developed. A series of three PCG-themed television commercials have also been developed and aired throughout the summer and fall.  The commercials featured outdoor recreational activities and showcased people participating in weed spread prevention activites, such as washing an ATV and properly disposing of houndstongue seeds.

The Campaign worked with Montana Ag in the Classroom to expand the curriculum Montana Noxious Weed Education Project (MNWEP) into Montana Invasive Species Education (MISE).  Both curricula are written to Common Core Standards for use in K-9 classrooms and were developed to promote awareness about invasive species that pose a threat to Montana while demonstrating the importance of stopping the spread of invasive species. 

Another newly developed program is “Adopt A Trailhead Montana” or AATM.  This project is designed very similarly to those around the country where volunteer groups provide noxious weed control measures at trailheads to stop the spread of noxious weeds further up the trails.  AATM features PCG messaging and encourages trail-users to clean their shoes and gear at boot

tailgate wrap on truck about dyer's woad

brush kiosks before and after leaving trails.  The first AATM trail in Montana is located on the Lolo National Forest in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, near Missoula. The Campaign worked with Montana Ag in the Classroom to expand the curriculum Montana Noxious Weed Education Project (MNWEP) into Montana Invasive Species Education (MISE).  Both curricula are written to Common Core Standards for use in K-9 classrooms and were developed to promote awareness about invasive species that pose a threat to Montana while demonstrating the importance of stopping the spread of invasive species.

The Campaign also produced noxious weed educational tailgate wraps and billboards that were placed around the state during the summer.

For more information about the Campaign, to request PCG materials developed for Montana, or to obtain a copy of the education materials mentioned, contact: Shantell Frame-Martin at 406-444-9491 or [email protected]

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