Yellow Starthistle Information
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Legislation
Awareness of invasive species, including yellow starthistle, has increased dramatically in the past few years. Numerous television and radio reports, news stories, and review articles have targeted their educational efforts at the general public (DiTomaso et al. 2000d). As a result of these efforts, pressure to manage yellow starthistle and other noxious wildland weeds has led to legislative changes and increased funding opportunities. In addition, state and federal public agencies have focused much greater attention on noxious weed management. For example, CalTrans and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have teamed up to map the leading edge of yellow starthistle encroachment along the eastern and southwestern side of the Sierra Nevada range. The main product of this effort is to identify areas of high priority and implement management options to prevent further movement in California.
With the confidence that options now exist for successful management of yellow starthistle, California legislators introduced Assembly Bill 1168 in 1999 and Senate Bill 1740 in 2000 that create Noxious Weed Management Funds. The Governor signed both these bills. Assembly Bill 1168 appropriated $200,000 a year for three years. This money was used to assist the more established Weed Management Areas (WMAs) and was primarily used to map and control yellow starthistle. Senate Bill 1740 appropriated $5 million dollars, of which $4,250,000 will be used to assist WMAs in their control efforts. To receive funding, the WMAs are required to develop a strategic plan for the management of yellow starthistle or other important invasive weed species (view a copy of the call for proposals). Another $250,000 will be used internally by CDFA for the coordination of WMAs and to administer the funding. Finally, $500,000 will be directed toward a competitive research program for studying the biology and management of noxious weeds in California. Click the bill number for a pdf version of SB 1740.
On a national level, former President Clinton signed the Executive Order on Invasive Species in 1999. This order put greater federal emphasis on invasive species management, including noxious weeds. To facilitate these efforts, a national panel of invasive weed researchers recently published recommendations for improving prevention practices, public awareness, monitoring and reporting, mitigation and control, and legislation and regulation of invasive plant species (Mullin et al. 2000).
In addition, the National Invasive Species Council also published its Management Plan which can be viewed at http://www.invasivespecies.gov web site or download as a pdf (93 pages).
