Lakeview, Ore. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lakeview District will be performing aerial herbicide applications across 20,700 acres starting Nov. 2, 2020, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 15, 2020, depending on weather conditions.
The goal of the proposed herbicide applications in South Warner, North Warner, Picture Rock, Clover Flat, Silver Lake, Dragon Rock Fire, Double J Fire area, and Windy Ridge annual grass project is to restore wildlife habitat invaded by invasive annual grass species that have the potential to create fuel loads and increase wildfire return intervals. The herbicides to be used for these projects is Imazapic and glyphosate. The imazapic is used as a pre-emergent herbicide that prevents germination of winter annual grass species such as cheatgrass (Broums tectorum), Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), and North Africa grass (Ventenata dubia). Glyphosate is applied at low rates that control the emerged annual grasses without harming any of the perennial grasses.
The Warner Wetlands will also have aerial herbicide applications to control perennial pepperweed and other invasive species. The fall timing of the application is due to the restrictions of the herbicides and the need for the wetlands to be dry during the application.
Maps will be posted along the main roads entering the project areas. Treatments will take up to two weeks for implementation and are dependent upon weather conditions. We ask that people and pets avoid camping or traveling through the treated areas during this time to allow aerial applicators to accomplish treatments in a safe and timely fashion.
For more information regarding these projects, please contact Jami Ludwig, Lakeview Field Manager, at 541-947-6102 or Grace Haskins, Natural Resource Specialist, at 541-947-6156.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
