Weed Awareness for Reclamation

Weed Awareness for
   Reclamation

Goal of WAR:

• Educate to prevent the
  introduction and spread of weeds
  on reclamation sites

Participants to Date
• Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural
  Development
• Alberta Environment
• Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
• Alberta Transportation
• Agriculture Service Board
• Oil and Gas Industry
• Special Areas Board

Why are we concerned?

                 • Weeds are one of
                   the most common
                   stakeholder
                   complaints

                 • Economic impact
                   of weed control

Canada thistle

Why are we concerned (cont’d.)
• Refusal of
  reclamation
  certificates
• Weeds
  invading
  natural
  landscapes
• Weeds
  interfering with
  end land uses      Scentless Chamomile

What is a weed?

• Listed in the regulations of Alberta’s Weed
  Control Act
• Restricted weeds (7 species): must be
  eliminated
• Noxious weeds (23 species): must be
  controlled if a weed notice is issued
• Nuisance weeds (37species): must prevent
  the spread or scattering of these plants

Weed Control Act: Section 31
        Weed control is a legal responsibility

The owner or the
occupant of land will as
often as necessary:
 – Destroy restricted
   weeds
 – Control noxious
   weeds
 – Prevent the spread of
   nuisance weeds                Spotted Knapweed

Weed Control Act: Section 34
            and 35
• No person shall deposit or permit to be
  deposited weed seeds or material containing
  weed seeds in a place where they might
  grow or spread
• No person shall move a machine or vehicle
  if the movement is likely to cause the
  spread of a restricted, noxious or nuisance
  weed

Liability of Operators
• Operators or lease holders are the
  “occupants” as defined in the
  Weed Control Act
• Occupants are liable

What is a problem plant?
• Problem plants may not be designated under
  the Weed Control Act
• Introduced forages like crested wheat grass,
  smooth brome and timothy can be desirable
  in one area but problem invaders in some
  natural landscapes
• Whether a plant becomes a problem
  depends on the plant’s habits and the
  climate and soils in the area

Weed Awareness Can Save $$$
• Every year industry spends millions of
  dollars on weed control
• Simple precautions taken up front during
  planning, construction and reclamation
  activities can save big bucks
• Preventing weeds from being introduced is
  more cost effective than trying to control
  them after they’re established

Example
• A pipeline company purchased straw for
  crimping wellsites in southern Alberta
• Downy brome (a noxious weed in some
  municipalities) was in the straw
• The cost to the company was $33,000/ha to
  minimize new seed production and
  $1100/ha in ongoing maintenance

Planning to Avoid Weeds
           • Companies should
             communicate with:
              – The landowner
                and/or occupant
              – The weed
                inspector and
                reclamation
                inspector for the
                area
Toadflax

Questions for the Company to
  Answer through Interview and
      Pre-Site Assessment
• What is the weed history on the site and
  surrounding area?
• What weeds have been treated in last three
  years?
• Are neighbour’s weeds a concern?
• What weeds are of concern in the area?

Questions to Ask During
           Planning Phase
• What is the current
  land use?
• Are special crops
  being produced
  (e.g., certified,
  organic)?
• Are herbicides
  allowed?

Questions for Landowners and
        Occupants to Ask
• Who is my contact if a problem arises?
• How will equipment be cleaned?
• Does the company have an active weed
  control program?
• Will you notify me if there is a change in
  location/route?
• Will I get a copy of the weed analysis
  certificates?

Communication with
   Agricultural Fieldmen/Public
         Land Managers
• What weeds have been documented in the
  area?
• What new weeds are a concern?
• What control methods have been
  successfully used?
• Has the landowner effectively controlled
  weeds?
• What problems have other companies had?

Assistance for Landowners and
          Occupants
               • Farmer’s Advocate
               • Surface Rights groups
               • Agriculture Fieldmen
               • Alberta Agriculture,
                 Food and Rural
                 Development
               • Local Reclamation
                 Inspectors
               • Public Lands, Alberta
                 Sustainable Resource
                 Development

Pre-Activity Weed Survey
• The operator should conduct an onsite
  inspection for all listed weeds (including
  those of concern in particular
  municipalities) prior to commencing an
  activity; the landowner/occupant should
  sign the audit
• Copies of the weed pre-site inspection
  should go to the municipality or to Alberta
  Sustainable Resource Development (public
  land)

Pre-Activity Weed Survey:
           Why do it?
• Important documentation when conflicts
  arise (e.g., what was brought in vs. what
  was already there)
• A benchmark for companies conducting
  activity
• Important step in identifying sources of
  weeds (e.g., what might companies be
  bringing to the next site?)

Weed Survey: Why do it?
             • Offsite concerns
               become evident
             • Updates during the
               life of operations
               can save $$$
               (especially on long
               term projects where
               third party impacts
               are likely)
 Blueweed

Weed Survey Methodology:
• Survey for any weeds listed as noxious or
  restricted in Alberta’s Weed Control Act
• Also obtain a list of problem species from
  the MD or County being surveyed (talk to
  the Agricultural Fieldman)

                                   Leafy spurge

Methodology: Effectiveness
• Use qualified personnel to do the survey
  (hire an appropriate environmental
  contractor if necessary)
• Survey when most plants are in bloom and
  are easily recognized
• Use the AFRD Weed Seedling Guide to
  recognize early stages
• Report findings in a timely manner to
  Agriculture Fieldman or MD/County office

Weed Survey Info Sheet

What to Record
• Note what weeds
  are present, where
  they are, the growth
  stage they are at,
  type and timing of
  control action taken
  (if herbicide is
  used, record the
  type and amount)
                         Young Scentless Chamomile
                              (pre-flowering)

Weed Seeds in the Seed You Buy
• Canada No. 1 or certified seed only
  guarantees the variety (genetic) purity
  but NOT that the seed is weed free
• Common seed CAN be cleaner than
  certified seed
• The ONLY way to ensure that
  weeds/problem plants are not present is to
  get a Seed Analysis Certificate and keep it
  on file (due diligence)

Example: Scentless Chamomile
    in Canada No. 1 Alfalfa
• Canada Seeds Act allows 5 Scentless
  Chamomile (noxious weed) seeds per
  25 grams of seed (Canada No. 1)
• Seeding at 10 Lb/acre = 900 scentless
  chamomile seeds/acre
• Checking the seed
  certificate can prevent
  this from happening

Seed Analysis (SA) Certificate

• ASK for a Seed Analysis certificate for
  each seed lot and review them before you
  buy; refuse unsuitable seed lots
• The person purchasing seed needs to know
  what to look for (use qualified personnel)
• It’s not always possible to buy a completely
  weed free seed lot but you can purchase one
  that doesn’t contain weeds or plants of
  concern

This SA certificate for a lot
of native June grass shows a
potential problem agronomic
plant (Kentucky bluegrass)
under “Other Crop Species”
and one weed of concern
(Rat’s-tail fescue) under
“Other Weed Seeds”.

This seed lot should
be refused for planting in a
native prairie environment. It
should be noted that in the
current SA reporting system,
other native species in the
seed lot are recorded in the
“Other Weed Seeds” column.

Example: A Preventable Problem
• 1978, 14 miles of seismic line seeded in the M.D.
  of Greenview
• A “Forestry mix” was used (Scentless Chamomile
  was an impurity)
• One landowner seeded his own ½ mile with a
  different mix. His land stayed clean; everyone else
  is still picking and spraying
  Scentless Chamomile
Lesson: ASK for a
Certificate of Seed
Analysis before
purchasing seed!

Clean Equipment and Materials
• All equipment and materials must be
  properly pressure cleaned when moving to a
  new area (check with municipalities about
  weeds of concern)
• Pay attention to less accessible areas
  (e.g., tracks, belly pans, lugs)
• Clean in a visible area so that the weeds that
  come up can be easily controlled; record
  location

Wash Station

Storage Areas
• Ensure that equipment and materials
  (e.g., pipes) are coming from clean storage
  areas (talk to suppliers and contractors)

Soil Movement
• Proper soil conservation eliminates need to
  haul topsoil; keep soils as close to the
  original location as possible
• Do not import topsoil with weeds (note:
  fence line and ditch soils should be
  carefully inspected for weeds before use)

      Canada thistle
      problem following
      storage of weedy
      soil on cultivated land

Amendments
• If suitable topsoil is unavailable, the
  soil quality on the site can be improved
  by using appropriate weed free
  amendments and cropping practices
  (e.g. Certified Weed free compost and
  green manure)

Annual Crops vs. Crimping

            • Using a clean annual
              crop is a safer choice
              than crimping straw
              for weed and erosion
              control
            • Use material from the
              same landowner if
              possible or get him to
              recommend a source

Straw Crimping (cont’d)
• Check fields that the straw is coming from;
  on large projects contract the straw
  production with a reputable grower
• Straw can sometimes be obtained from a
  certified annual cereal crop grower
• On public land, clear sources with
  appropriate regulatory
  personnel

Maintenance: Soil Stockpiles
                 • All stockpiles
                   with maintenance
                   needs should have
                   side slopes no
                   steeper than 4:1
                 • Revegetate with
                   species that
                   provide erosion
                   control and are
                   competitive with
                   weeds

Maintenance: Staging Areas
• Remove small mounds of gravel, soil or
  debris that can impede maintenance such as
  mowing or spraying
• Level or backblade areas before moving
  equipment away from the location

Maintenance: Brush and Wood
• Dispose of brush piles, wood piles as soon
  as possible to eliminate a place for weeds to
  germinate

Maintenance: Regular
        Inspections/Control
• Inspect operational areas twice during the
  growing season (spring and late summer),
  for noxious weeds and other unwanted
  vegetation
• Weed control must be done in a timely
  manner
• Avoid the overuse of residual herbicides on
  industrial facilities. These products
  accumulate in the soil and can prevent the
  growth of desirable vegetation

Maintenance: Inspections/Control
                 • Make sure that
                   inspection
                   personnel have the
                   authority to deal
                   with weeds
                   immediately
                 • Appropriate control
                   measures to be used
                   by qualified
                   personnel

Special Precautions for Native
              Stands
• The use of broad spectrum herbicides can
  damage native wildflowers
• Mowing or spot spraying are the preferred
  control methods in areas revegetated with
  native species
• Care must be taken not to mow stands too
  low (

Natural Recovery (No Seed)
               Areas
• Only use this
  approach where
  weed invasion
  potential is low
• Annual weeds
  usually disappear in
  a few years and can
  be mowed if very
  competitive

References
• Crop Protection ( Blue Book, annual publication,
  AFRD), Alberta Agriculture, AGDEX 606 - 1.
• Native Plant Revegetation Guidelines for Alberta,
  H. Sinton (ed.). Alberta Agriculture, Food and
  Rural Development and Alberta Environment.
• Practical Crop Protection ( Green Book ), Alberta
  Agriculture, AGDEX 606 - 3.
• Problem Introduced Forages on Prairie and
  Parkland Reclamation Sites. Conservation and
  Reclamation Information Letter 01-6. Alberta
  Environment.

References
• Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States-
  a guide for identification, France Royer and
  Richard Dickinson. Edmonton: University of
  Alberta Press; Lone Pine Publishing, 1999.
• Weeds of the Prairies , Alberta Agriculture,
  AGDEX 640-4
• Weeds of the West, Tom D. Whitson. Newark,
  CA: Western Society of Weed Science in
  cooperation with the Western United States Land
  Grant Universities Cooperative Extension Services
  (and the University of Wyoming), 1996.
• Weed Seedling Guide, Alberta Agriculture,
  AGDEX 640-9

Acknowledgements
Thanks to the following people for their assistance
              with this presentation:

         Shaffeek Ali     John Begg
       John Bidulock    Heather Bishop
                Norman Boulet
         Ed Cappis        Rola Hogan
       Helen Newsham Bruce Patterson
       Chris Powter     Mike Schmaltz
         Heather Sinton   Don Snider
               Mike Undershultz