Yolo County Weed Management Area - Countywide Invasive Weed Treatment
Summary
SCH Number
2025020700
Public Agency
Yolo County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
Yolo County Weed Management Area - Countywide Invasive Weed Treatment
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/20/2025
Document Description
The mission of the Yolo County Weed Management Area (WMA) is to promote and coordinate efforts toward the management and control of the county's noxious weeds through education and cooperation with landowners, agencies, organizations and the general public. For decades, the Yolo County Weed Management Area has managed and educated farmers, restoration professionals, municipal workers and the public on emerging, established, and widespread wildland weeds. In recent years, the Yolo County WMA has focused its efforts on Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) weeds which includes Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens}, woolly distaff thistle (Carthamus lanatus), purple star thistle (Centaurea ca/citrapa}, silverleaf nightshade (Solanume/aeagnifo/ium), whitetop (Lepidium draba}, yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus}, red sesbania (Sesbania punicea), phragmites, arundo and oblong spurge (Euphorbia oblongata) and others listed at https://yolorcd.org/what-we-do/yoIo-county-weed-management-area. The Yolo County Resource Conservation District (RCD) manages and coordinates the Yolo County WMA and will perform weed work on small populations of weeds at up to 25 locations across Yolo County where EDRR weeds have been mapped for a total of about 250 acres. Weed patches will
usually be small in that foot print. The goal of weed treatment is to control these small and emerging populations of highly aggressive invasive plants that are (or could) degrade natural habitat and agricultural lands, limit access, and further spread throughout the county. These small populations lower the quality of wildlife habitat and have to potential to degrade rangeland and agricultural lands in Yolo County.
Yolo County RCD will visit the sites, assess invasive weeds, and implement treatment plans to eradicate the weed using mechanical (hand pulling) and low volume herbicide treatment. Herbicides are recommended by a Pest Control Advisor (PCA), and are chosen for their effectiveness on the plant species and have either "Caution" or "Warning" labels, which are less harmful to humans and wildlife. Herbicide application will be performed with backpack sprayers or ATV mounted sprayers, and application will be conducted by certified and licensed RCD staff under our herbicide application permit issued by the County of Yolo Agricultural Commissioner. Staff use
best management practices to prevent spills and drift, and to treat weeds that are intermingled with native vegetation to ensure habitat and wildlife protection.
Contact Information
Name
Heather Nichols
Agency Name
Yolo County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, Woodland
Counties
Yolo
Regions
Countywide
Other Location Info
Countywide NOE for Yolo County - sites are scattered throughout the county
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 15304- Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The invasive weeds included in this project are aggressive and competitive and monopolize resources (moisture, nutrients, and sunlight) from surrounding plants impacting native vegetation and threatening agriculture. To protect biodiversity and agriculture, weed treatment is vital to reduce the impact of existing weed populations and prevent emerging weeds from being established. The project is minor in scope and may result in minor alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.
The project meets the requirements of Categorical Exemption, Title 14, Section 15304, Class 4 Minor Alterations to Land). Project implementation includes selective treatment and eradication of non-native invasive weeds which results in the restoration, enhancement, and protection of the environment. This project meets the requirements to be considered exempt pursuant to Section 15304 of the CEQA guidelines because it will: 1) reduce the threat of invasive weeds to
native ecosystems, 2) promote biodiversity, 3) restore and preserve working landscapes.
County Clerk
Yolo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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