No Leader at this time. You have the opportunity to develop and carry out this project based on your initiative and what holds your interest. Curriculum will be provided for guidance.
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Weeds are one of the most important environmental problems in Montana. This project will help you learn about this serious problem, and have fun while doing it. Through the activities designed in this project, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of agriculture, nature and biodiversity.
You'll also-
l develop a broader understanding of the relationship between nature and agriculture
l learn about and recognize important weeds in Montana while having fun
l learn how to make a plant press, and display and mount the weeds you collect
l learn about the science of weed control and what can be done to control weeds
l learn various biological methods for controlling weeds
l learn some of the beneficial uses for weeds, and which weeds you can cook and eat
l study how weeds use different dispersal methods for propagation
l develop and instill in others the desire to take an active role in controlling weeds
l help the community, county and state become free of noxious weeds
LEVEL 1: WEED WISE - 4110
Are you ready to learn about weeds? This level is designed for beginners and will help you learn about weeds in a fun and participatory way. In this level, you will begin by making a plant press and by collecting at least 25 weeds. You'll also learn how to press your weeds for display at the fair or other places, play WEED BINGO and complete a weed crossword puzzle, learn about how weeds reduce wildlife habitat, develop alternative uses for weeds, which make them such aggressive invaders. This level includes 7 required activities that you must complete before moving on to level two. You can work at your own pace, but you should not take more than two years to complete all seven activities in this level. During the first year, you should complete a minimum of 4 of these activities.
If you enroll in this level for a second year, you must complete the other 3 activities in the second year without repeating any of the previous activities, although you may add to your weed collection.
Materials:
M Weed Wise, 5292, $1.70
L Weed Wrangler Helper's Guide, 5298, $1.50
S Weeds of the West (available in each county Extension office as a reference)
S Plant Identification Learning Kit (available in each county Extension office)
LEVEL 2: WEED ON THE MOVE - 4120
Now that you've developed some basic knowledge about weeds and can recognize them in the field, it's time to lear more about common Montana weeds. In this level you'll learn why weed live where they do, learn about poisonous plants, create a map showing the location of two weed species, germinate two different kinds of weed seeds and study them, learn how weeds affect you vegetable garden, learn about how weeds are "on the move" and the different dispersal techniques weeds use, learn about biological controls of noxious weeds, find out which wild plants are good to eat and cook them, and learn about some beneficial uses of weeds. This level includes 9 required activities that you must complete before moving on to level three. You can work at your own pace, but you should not take more than two
years to complete all nine activities in this level. During the first year, you should complete a minimum of 5 of these activities. If you enroll in this level for a second year, you must complete the other 4 activities in the second year without repeating any of the previous activities you completed last year.
Materials:
M Weeds on the Move, 5293, $1.70
L Weed Wrangler Helper's Guide, 5298, $1.50
S Weeds of the West (available in each county Extension office as a reference)
S Plant Identification Learning Kit (available in each county Extension office)
LEVEL 3: WEED-N-SEED - 4130
This level is for those who have successfully completed the previous two levels and want to get into some advanced study and management of weeds. In this level, you will learn about how weeds impact biodiversity, learn how weeds impact forage production, learn how to develop a weed awareness workshop, learn about joining a weed association, understand how to certify a grower's hay as "weed-free", learn about careers related to weeds, learn about plant taxonomy (classification systems), find out about the hazards associated with herbicides and how herbicides work. This level includes required 9 activities that you must complete before moving on to level four. You can work at your own pace, but you should not take more than two years to compete this level. During the first year, you should
complete a minimum of 5 of these activities. If you enroll in this level for a second year, you must complete to other 4 activities in the second year without repeating any of the previous activities from last year.
Materials:
M Weed-n-Seed, 5294, $1.70
L Weed Wrangler Helper's Guide, 5298, $1.50
S Weeds of the West (available in each county Extension office as a reference)
S Plant Identification Learning Kit (available in each county Extension office)
LEVEL 4: ADVANCED WEED SCIENCE - 4140
To participate in the activities in this level, you must have completed all three of the previous levels. This level is for individual advanced field work related to the study of biological controls of weeds. There are four specific project options in this level. You should complete one of these projects for each year you enroll in this project. Completing your record book, along with these field manuals, demonstrated that you have completed each project.
The four projects are:
l Eating Weeds Alive: Bug 'Em to Death! A field manual to help you learn how to use insects as a biological control for weeds.
l Eating Weeds Alive: Mooove Weeds out of Montana! A field manual to help you learn how to use cattle as a biological control for weeds.
l Eating Weeds Alive: Baaad Weeds! A field manual to help you learn how to use sheep to as a biological control for weeds.
l 4-H AUM Analyzer. A tool to help you know how many animals you can graze on the land and for how long (AUM = animal unit months). An abundance of weeds reduces the amount of usable forage.
Materials:
M Eating Weeds Alive: Bug 'Em to Death!, 5295, $2.50
M Eating Weeds Alive: Mooove Weeds out of Montana!, 5296, $1.70
M Eating Weeds Alive: Baaad Weeds!, 5297, $1.70
INDEPENDENT STUDY - 4199
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