What is a Cooperative Weed Management Area

What is a Cooperative Weed Management Area?

Weed Management Areas (WMAs) are local organizations that bring together landowners and managers (private, city, county, State, and Federal) in a county, multi-county, or other geographical area to coordinate efforts and expertise against common invasive weed species. The WMA functions under the authority of a mutually developed memorandum of understanding (MOU) and is subject to statutory and regulatory weed control requirements. A WMA may be voluntarily governed by a chairperson or a steering committee. To date, groups in California have been initiated by either the leadership of the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office or a Federal Agency employee. WMAs are unique because they attempt to address agricultural (regulatory) weeds and “wildland” weeds under one local umbrella of organization. It is hoped that participation will extend from all agencies and private organizations. WMAs have printed weed I.D./control brochures, organized weed education events, written and obtained grants, coordinated demonstration plots, and instituted joint eradication, mapping, outreach, and other effective weed management projects.

More on Weed Management Areas can be found at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/weedmgtareas/wma_index_hp.htm