WildEarth Guardians

Saturday, February 25, 2006
Forester Rejects Herbicides in Santa Fe, Carson Forests

Opponents of the chemicals argued that hand-weeding, mowing and using organic herbicides are as effective and less environmentally damaging. The forests' plan also fails to address how weeds are spread by livestock, off-road vehicles and hikers
Contact: Albuquerque Journal

Santa Fe, NM - A plan to use herbicides on invasive weeds in the Santa Fe and Carson national forests has been turned down by a regional forester, who ruled the proposal had shortcomings.

Deputy Regional Forester Lucia M. Turner said, however, she is not opposed to forests using herbicides.

"My decision to reverse the responsible officials' decision does not suggest that use of herbicides is inappropriate for this project,'' she said.

Her decision Friday means the two northern New Mexico forests must revise their weed control plan and allow more public comment.

Turner ruled after reviewing eight appeals from more than two dozen opponents, including people allergic to chemicals, herbalists and a livestock group.

Opponents of the chemicals argued that hand-weeding, mowing and using organic herbicides are as effective and less environmentally damaging. They also contended the forests' plan failed to address how weeds are spread by livestock, off-road vehicles and hikers.

Turner said the herbicide project, approved by forest supervisors in the Carson and Santa Fe, failed to address the cumulative environmental impacts on wildlife or the state Environment Department's concern about one herbicide in watersheds surrounded by the forests.

The two forests are combining their efforts to control weeds such as thistle, knapweed and salt cedar on about 3 million acres. The nonnative weeds have been found in isolated pockets on about 7,300 acres, mostly near trails and roads.

The forests' control plan, published last fall, proposed a variety to methods to eradicate the pests, including pulling weeds by hand, allowing goats to graze on them and using any of 11 herbicides.

Controlling the weeds is critical, said Don DeLorenzo, director of wildlife, fish and rare plants for the Forest Services Southwestern Region.

Otherwise, he said, they can do a lot of harm to ecosystems, including degrading watershed conditions and increasing the potential for a catastrophic fire in typically fire-resistant areas.

More than a dozen sheep and cattle producers in Taos and members of Taos Mountain Beef opposed the herbicides over concerns that the herbicides will prevent them from being certified as organic. Several producers graze their livestock on national forest allotments.

Taos Mountain Beef formed a year ago to study the possibility of providing grass-fed organic meat that is grown, processed and marketed entirely in northern New Mexico.

"If they spray, we might not be able to market it as organic,'' said Steve Kenin, the organization's director.

Organic grass-fed beef commands higher prices than conventional feedlot beef and offers health benefits for consumers, said David Trew, a ranch consultant to the group. Organic beef brings $600 to $800 per head compared to $250 per head for feedlot cattle, Trew said.

A co-owner of a longtime business, Taos Herbs, said herbicides in the forest could keep his staff from gathering plants in the Carson. Even if weed killer is carefully applied to one spot, "the wind carries this stuff, and it will end up in streams,'' Rob Hawley said.

Copyright 2006 Albuquerque Journal - Reprinted with permission