Stillwater Valley Watershed Council

HAZARDOUS FUELS PROGRAM This program provides homeowner with cost-share assistance for fuels reduction projects, prevention and mitigation materials regarding wildfire fire. Tallies for 2022 Provided Cost Share to 14 participants in the amount of 139,068. SVWC is ramping up enrollment in Fuels Mitigation with another 240,000 available for 2022-2025.

WILDLIFE HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHIP GRANT. This is a 5 year project secured in 2019 and the mission encompasses treatment and monitoring of noxious weeds with Custer-Gallatin National Forest, preventing further spread of noxious weed throughout the Stillwater watershed. This project will enhance cooperative efforts of the US Forest Service USFS along with adjacent small and large tract landowners. Why is a non-profit group assisting the USFS in their noxious weed control efforts The budget line item for noxious weed control for the Custer-Gallatin National Forest has been significantly reduce in recent years. This grant pays 100 of costs of application on USFS land. Tallies for 2022 Treated 170 acres on USFS grazing allotments, paid commercial applicators 45,660 in 2022 and a total of 77,675 to date. We have 4 years down and 1 to go with over 175,000 remaining in grant money.

COOPERATIVE WEED CONTROL PROGRAMS SMALL AND LARGE ACREAGE, integrated, locally led approaches to noxious weed management enabling SVWC to collaborate with multiple agencies and hundreds of local landowners. Programs include SVWCs SMALL ACREAGE Cooperative Weed Control Program has treated from Nye to Columbus Montana. This program is intended for landowners with LESS than 20 acres. Tallies for 2022 Enrolled 113 participants 1900 acres and provided Cost Share to 107 participants in the amount of 4,396. SVWC used 11 commercial applicators. SVWC Large Acreage Noxious Weed Control Program targets landowners with MORE than 20 acres located on or adjacent to elk habitat. SVWC has received another 20,000 from the Rockey Mountain Elk Foundation RMEF for 2023. RMEF has contributed 110,000 over the past 10 years to this program. Tallies for 2022 Provided Cost Share to 19 participants, representing 20,540 acres, to treat 750 acres via areal and ground application and provided Cost Share in the amount of 14,442.