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The James Ranch airstrip on the main Salmon River was treated for noxious weeds.

Airstrip and Private Land Buffer

In 2009, the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness CWMA initiated a weed treatment program on the private and Forest Service airstrips along the main stem Salmon River.  Agreements were established with seven private airstrip owners.  The agreements provided for contracts to complete the initial weed treatments with the land owners taking responsibility afterwards.  These contract efforts were completed in 2009 and 2010.  In 2011, emphasis was shifted to the Selway River drainage where four airstrips need assistance.  Agreements are currently being developed for the Running Creek and North Star private air strips which have been getting some treatment by the involved owners.  Inventory data for the Selway Lodge air strip shows it being clean and having no need for assistance!  The Montana Conservation Core assisted with treating the Moose Creek and Shearer Forest Service airstrips in 2011.  The Moose Creek air strip had also been treated in 2010 with other funds.  Plans include treating all four air strips in 2012 with the remaining funds.   Afterwards, they should all be in an maintenance mode.

Back Country New Invaders

The Red River District Recreation crews did not utilize any of the available funds in 2011.  Inventory efforts were instead completed in 2011 to help delineate those trails and camp sites most deserving in an attempt to keep the relatively clean weed free areas clean of noxious weeds.  Plans to treat those weeds and use the remaining balance on other trails will be emphasized in 2012.

Rachel Winston at the Forest Service Slate Creek yellowstar thistle bio control monitoring transect.

Bio-Control

In 2009, Idaho County Weed Control, in conjunction with the RAC, US Forest Service, USDI BLM, and MIA Consulting, initiated a biocontrol monitoring program to determine the effectiveness of numerous releases that have occurred throughout north central Idaho since 1979. Four weed systems were monitored utilizing the Standardized Impact Monitoring Protocol. These efforts were repeated and expanded in 2010 and 2011. A total of 57 permanent monitoring sites spanning seven weed species were visited throughout the 2011 growing season. For Dalmatian toadflax, insects appear to be contributing alone or in combination with favorable spring weather to the weed’s control at 11 sites, have no impact at two others, and more time is needed to draw conclusions at one final site. In the spotted knapweed system, insects have likely been a major contributor in the weed’s control at one site, they may be slightly effective at another site, and appear to be ineffective at all others, though more time is needed for sites where agents were released as recently as 2009.

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Two inmates were out splitting and stacking firewood next to the Grangeville Senior Center on Monday, Aug. 29, under supervision of (not pictured) ICSO Deputy Jailer and work program coordinator Rob Agee.

David Rauzi, Editor, Idaho County Free Press – August 31, 2011

GRANGEVILLE — Idaho County Jail inmates are helping with home heating costs for the elderly this winter.
Thanks to $5,827.50 in grant funds through the North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC), the jail, in conjunction with Community Action Partnership (CAP) purchased three logging truckloads of ponderosa pine logs, which are in the process of being cut and split, according to ICSO Chief Jailer Rick Shira.
Two inmates as part of the Idaho County Inmate Worker/Community Service Program started the project at the beginning of the month, according to Shira, “and it will be at least two to three more weeks before they get it all split.”
Credit for the idea goes to Harpster resident Don Morrow (now deceased) who first brought the project concept to the Forest Service, which in turn went to the RAC, according to Nez Perce National Forest public information officer Laura Smith.

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Plans are coming together for North Central Idaho RAC and Clearwater Basin Collaborative participants to attend a field trip to the Indian Hill RAC project and others.

CBC and RAC chairs Alex Irby and Kent Henderson have suggested August 30 and 31. If folks want to spend the night at Three Rivers again like last year, it’s best to call and reserve a room now.

Please respond Laura Smith at (208) 983-5142 by the end of this week if you are interested in attending.

Here is the list of projects and Title II funds allocated by the North Central Idaho RAC.

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The RAC will meet April 14, 2011 to recommend FY 2012 projects for funding. Meetings start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and are held at the Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor’s Office, at 104 Airport Road, Grangeville, Idaho.

Meetings are always open to the public.

AGENDA

10:00 AM          Welcome/Introductions/Agenda (Kent Henderson, RAC Chair)

10:15                   FY 12 Project Selection (RAC Members Individually Review 2012 and Prioritize)

 10:30                   FY 12 Project Selection (RAC Members Break Into Category Groups)

 11:00                   FY 12 Final Project Selection (RAC Members)

 1145                    LUNCH (On Your Own)

 1:00                      FY 12 Final Project Selection (RAC Members)

 2:00                      Public Forum/Adjourn

The February 23-24 North Central Idaho RAC meetings were cancelled yesterday due to winter weather and hazardous driving conditions. The RAC will reschedule meetings in March and April to select FY 2011 and 2012 project proposals for funding.

Grangeville, ID— A series of meetings and proposal deadlines have been established by the North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) over the next several months to select projects for funding. The funds are available through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, which was reauthorized for four years in 2008.

““The authority of the RAC to recommend projects expires on September 30, 2011, so they need to complete recommendations for two year’s worth of projects in the next nine months,” said Clearwater/Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor Rick Brazell. The RAC will have about $960,000 to award for 2011 and close to $750,000 to spend on projects for 2012.”

RAC-funded projects must be located on National Forest System Lands in Idaho, Clearwater and Latah counties or on nearby lands if the project will benefit resources on the National Forests. Projects can be completed by Forest Service personnel, through partnership agreements or by open-bid contracting with individuals and corporations. The RAC works closely with the Forest Service to recommend projects that will benefit forest health, fish, wildlife, soils, watersheds and other resources; maintains roads, trails and other infrastructure; or controls noxious weeds.

The North Central Idaho RAC covers the Bitterroot, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Payette, Salmon, St. Joe and Wallowa National Forests or adjacent lands.

The schedule for 2011 RAC meetings are as follows: January 26 (Oral presentations on projects to select/approve projects for funding for FY 2011), February 23 & 24 (Finish up FY 2011; start presentations on FY 2012 projects), and March 24 (Oral presentations on projects to select/approve projects for funding FY 2012; approve FY 2012 projects). Meetings start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and are held at the Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor’s Office, at 104 Airport Road, Grangeville, Idaho. Meetings are always open to the public.

For more information, please contact Laura Smith, Designated Federal Official (DFO), at (208)-983-5143, or email: lasmith@fs.fed.us.
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Grangeville, ID.–The North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting is scheduled for November 4, 2010 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Potlatch Library in Potlatch, Idaho.

The 15-member RAC will have an estimated $960,000 to spend on projects for 2011, made available by Idaho, Clearwater, and Latah Counties through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2008. The RAC works closely with the Forest Service to recommend projects that will benefit Forest health, fish, wildlife, soils and watersheds; maintain roads, trails and infrastructure; or control noxious weeds on the Bitterroot, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Payette, Salmon, St. Joe and Wallowa National Forests or adjacent lands.

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Laura Smith at the North Central Idaho RAC reports that it’s that time again to be thinking about RAC projects.  Please share this with your forest partners.  Here is a link to a pre-proposal form (.doc).  Rough draft pre-proposals are due to Laura electronically with a cc to Linda Hinds and Lisa Canaday on October 15. Do not include overhead. Resubmit proposals for multi-year funding.

After pre-proposals are received, they are added to the “Wish” List of FY 11 RAC projects. The list is reviewed by the Clearwater and Nez Perce Forest leadership team. RAC members will review the list at the November 4 meeting in Potlatch. At that meeting RAC members will select a final project proposal due date and agree on additional meeting dates in 2012 for presentations and recommendations for approval and funding.

If you have any questions, please call or email Laura at (208) 983-5143, lasmith@fs.fed.us.