How to Organize and Perform a R.O.W. Program with Partners

1. How to Organize and Perform a R.O.W. Program with Partners Chris Bryan – Roadside Development Manager Mississippi Department of Transportation District 6

2. Introduction to Cogongrass • District 6 – May 2002 * Cogongrass already at level that seemed insurmountable. * No measures being taken to combat this widespread problem. * Where do we go from here?

3. Starting the Process • Cogongrass Awareness * Meeting in Kiln, MS formed the Mississippi Cogongrass Taskforce. * Public education and measures to be taken for combating cogongrass. * Meeting in Waynesboro, MS brought about “Good Neighbor Policy”. * Creating a plan of action for the MDOT in District 6.

4. “Good Neighbor Policy” • Implemented mainly by word of mouth. * Bureau of Plant Industry and NRCS grants. * Mississippi Coastal Plains RC&D education program. * Organizations such as MVMA, NRVMA and Southern Weed Science Society. * Employees of MDOT spreading the word when approached by the public.

5. How the “Good Neighbor Policy” works. • A landowner calls in to a MDOT Office and states that they have cogongrass adjacent to their property. • Meet with the landowner to get the boundaries of their property. • Make the herbicide application on the site. • Keep in contact with the landowner to spray any re-growth.

14. Working with Partners • Partnership formed with MDOT, MSU and DEQ on a seedhead suppression study on Highway 63 in Jackson County. • Applying several herbicides with the intentions of cutting down on the number of windblown seeds.

17. Plateau 12 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

18. Plateau 12 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

19. Glyphosate 16 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

20. Glyphosate 16 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

21. Glyphosate 32 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

22. Glyphosate 32 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

23. Select 16 fl oz/A applied at dormancy ~ 60 DAT

24. Working with Partners continued • Embarked on a partnership to spray an area of interest in four coastal counties. • Parties involved included MDOT, Coastal Plains RC&D, USDA, NWTF, NRCS, U.S. Forest Service and the counties involved. • In the process of erecting signs for public awareness.

25. Herbicide Mixtures for Cogongrass • Mixture for areas with no hardwood trees: * Glyphosate – 2% V/V * Imazapyr (2 lbs. A.I.) – 1% V/V * Non-Ionic Surfactant - .25% V/V

26. Mixtures continued • Areas with hardwood trees: * Glyphosate – 2% V/V * Non-Ionic Surfactant - .25% V/V • Seedhead Suppression: * Imazapic – 12 fl oz./acre * Non-Ionic Surfactant - .25% V/V

27. Initial Control Practices • Targeted four lane systems. • Landowners that called in for the “Good Neighbor Policy” • Seedhead Suppression on areas that were highly infested.

28. Current Practices • Still targeting four lane systems. • Spraying of areas that have re-growth or was missed on the initial application. • Adapting the “Good Neighbor Policy” to include whole routes when able. • Spraying new construction areas before the start of initial clearing. • Spraying newly established construction areas when cogongrass is detected.

29. Current Practices cont. • Continuing our seedhead suppression program this winter. • Avoiding areas in our mowing cycle with cogongrass in bloom. • Making sure mowers are cleaned before leaving a cogongrass infested area. • Working closely with Coastal Plains RC&D on more areas for partnership.