Weed Management Areas

IPC Programs

Projects & Resources

Sub Menu

WMA County Sites

Home

PHPPS

IPC

Weed Management Areas

Weed Management Areas: Program Details

Weed Management Areas (WMAs) are local organizations that bring together landowners and managers (private, city, county, State, and Federal) in a county or multi-county geographical area to coordinate efforts and expertise against common invasive and noxious weed species. The WMA functions under the authority of a mutually developed memorandum of understanding (MOU). The WMA develops a Strategic Plan which helps prioritize eradication, control, and containment projects, as well as other WMA activities. The Strategic plan also identifies what specifically each WMA partners contributes toward the overall cooperative nature of the WMA.

A WMA may be voluntarily governed by a chairperson or a steering committee. To date, groups in California have been primarily initiated by either the leadership of the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office or Resource Conservation District. WMAs are unique because they attempt to address agricultural (regulatory) weeds and “wildland” weeds under one local umbrella of organization. It is hoped that participation will extend from all agencies and private organizations. The primary goal of WMAs is to institute joint eradication, control, and containment projects. Other activities include: promoting prevention practices, coordinating collaborative mapping, sponsoring education outreach, writing grants to secure resources beyond WMA funds, and improving regional collaboration.