Student weed warriors battle noxious weeds at Deer Flat

“Weed warriors” descended upon Lake Lowell on November 22, 2004. This visit was their first in a series of battles against noxious weeds at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge.

Armed with GPS (Global Positioning System) units, the Environmental Science students from Mountain View High School in Meridian fanned out across the refuge to collect data about Scotch thistle and poison hemlock infestations. After returning to school, the students will create digital maps, research environmentally-friendly weed-removal techniques, and create flyers to teach the public about noxious weeds.

The weed warriors will return to the refuge for another battle in the spring, this time to help remove the weeds. Future classes will return to the same sites to monitor progress and remove any remaining plants. They will also expand the project to target other weeds and other areas of the refuge.

According to Elaine Johnson, Refuge Manager, “this partnership provides the refuge with the chance to reduce weeds while also teaching the public about the effects of weeds on wildlife and wildlife habitat.”

Mountain View teacher Gina Lockwood says that “the ultimate goal is to create a curriculum guide that can be distributed to other local schools and help engage other students in hands-on learning.” Lockwood received a “Nature of Learning” grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help fund the project.

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