Local Natural Resource Projects

Check out what is happening at the state and local level that is effecting natural resources in our area.

Prescribed Fire

A forest with flames spread across the ground and some smoke, amidst tall trees, with a firefighter in the background.

See where prescribed fire is being used to prevent catastrophic wildfires.

Restoring Aspen

A grove of birch trees with white bark and lush green foliage in a grassy meadow.

Walton Lake

A lakeside campsite with chairs, a picnic table, cooler, and trees under a clear sky.

Crook County is coordinating with US Forest Service to address dying trees.

Beaver Dam Analogues

A small stream with makeshift wooden posts and vegetation, surrounded by a grassy, fenced landscape under a clear sky.

Research in the John Day Basin shows beavers may cool creeks.

Sage Grouse

Learn what the USFWS is doing to conserve sage grouse in Oregon.

Water Quality

Check out the Oregon Department of Ag's guide to Water Quality in Crook County.

A calm stream with clear water and green algae. Dry vegetation surrounds it; mountains are visible in the distance.

Noxious Weeds

The importance of weed management is affirmed in state statues. It is our responsibility as a community to prevent weeds from spreading.

The problem of noxious, non-native weeds proliferating in Central Oregon is severe. Noxious weeds overrun native vegetation, destroy natural animal habitat, shelter undesirable insects, steal scarce water, infest crops and cost local communities in terms of visual blight, a reduction of property values and lost agricultural dollars. Some noxious weeds are poisonous to humans, livestock and wildlife. Seeds from noxious weeds are spread by foot and vehicular traffic along our roadways and through our public lands. Many property owners unknowingly have these non-native, noxious weeds growing in their yards and fields, which aggravates the situation.

ORS 569.180 In recognition of the imminent and continuous threat to natural resources, watershed health, livestock, wildlife, land and agricultural products of this state, and in recognition of the widespread infestations and potential infestations of noxious weeds throughout this state, noxious weeds are declared to be a public nuisance and shall be detected, controlled and, where feasible, eradicated on all lands in this state. It is declared to be the policy of this state that priority shall be given first to the prevention of new infestations of noxious weeds and then to the control and, where feasible, eradication of noxious weeds in infested areas.

Noxious Weeds Hall of Fame

The following weeds can be found commonly around Crook County. Click below to learn how noxious weeds are identified and classified. Continue to the pictures below to learn how to identify and treat these weeds for the benefit of Crook County.

Noxious Weed Policy Classification A Weed Warrior's Guide to Crook County

A desert shrub with small white flowers and thin green leaves growing in sandy soil.

African Rue

African Rue contains at least four poisonous alkaloids. It is toxic to people and livestock. The seeds and fruit of the plant are the most toxic part…

Orange Hawkweed

Quickly develops into a monoculture that continues to expand until it covers the site. Displaces native vegetation seriously threatening native plant…

A wild plant with tall stalks of yellow flowers and green leaves, growing beside a fence.

Dalmation Toadflax

Displaces native forbs and grasses, reducing the carrying capacity of the land.

White flowers by a riverbank under a clear blue sky.

Perennial Pepperweed

Perennial Pepperweed establishes and colonizes rapidly, degrading wetlands, nesting habitat and outcompeting desireable grasses in natural areas and…

Green-yellow leafy plant with small clusters of flowers growing in a dense, grassy area.

Leafy Spurge

Leafy spurge competes strongly in pastures and healthy rangelands reducing more desireable forage. It can also become a contaminant in hay.

Purple thistle flowers with buds and thin green stems in a grassy field.

Spotted Knapweed

Oregon infestations are broadly scattered though increasing, causing economic losses to right of way maintenance, grazing and range productivity.

Bright yellow wildflowers in a sunny, open field.

Tansy Ragwort

Prolific in pastures, clear cuts, and disturbed roadside areas, populations can become quite dense. Leaves are toxic to cattle and horses, causing…

Close-up of a purple thistle flower with thorny, green leaves and stems.

Scotch Thistle

It is capable of reaching heights up to 8 feet. Thick stands often occur that are practically impenetrable because of the spiny nature and plant large…

A plant with clusters of small white flowers against a rocky background.

Mediterranean Sage

Reduces grassland quality and yields. Unpalatable to most grazing animals and forms dense monocultures.

Purple thistle flowers with spiky green leaves in a field.

Musk Thistle

Pastures are particularly at risk because it is unpalatable to livestock. Once established, it can spread rapidly due to high seed production (as much…

Dense growth of yellow-flowered thistle plants in a natural setting.

Yellow Starthistle

Can completely displace desireable forage species in warm, semi-arid environments. Infestations reduce pasture forage quality and the spines can…

Thistle plants with spiky green buds and purple flowers surrounded by greenery.

Bull Thistle

Considered a nuisance weed in pastures, rangeland and newly logged sites, in the short term it competes with desireable forbs and grasses but will…

Close-up of tall grass with a background of a green valley and distant mountains under a blue sky.

Jointed Goatgrass

Invades grasslands and thrives in wheatfields, rangelands, roadsides, and fencerows. Ten plants per square yard can reduce cereal crop yields by 30 to…

Close-up of purple thistle flowers with spiky green leaves against a blurred natural background.

Canada Thistle

It sports an extensive horizontal-spreading root system enabling the plant to create dense patches. Fragmentation of the root system during tillage…

Tall plants with small white flowers against a blue sky backdrop.

Diffuse Knapweed

It reproduces by seed, dispersed by the tumbling of windblown plants or on the fur of animals. A single plant can produce approximately 18,000 seeds.

A cluster of purple and pink flowers with green foliage in a garden setting.

Houndstongue

It prefers well-drained, relatively sandy and gravelly soils in habitats under the canopy of forests, in native grasslands, pastures, meadows, along…

Close-up of dry grass with thin, spiky stalks in a field.

Medusahead Rye

Spikelets have tiny recurved barbs. Growth and seed production are early utilizing most surface moisture before native grasses begin their growth.

Purple thistle flowers with green leaves in a natural setting.

Russian Knapweed

Russian knapweed commonly grows along roadsides, pastures, croplands, irrigation ditches as well as riverbanks and disturbed areas.

Yellow flowering plant with small blossoms and green leaves.

St. Johnswort

It invades pasture and rangeland and is poisonous to livestock. Infestations spread rapidly on disturbed, well drained sites such as roadways, trails…

Dry, brown grass with scattered green patches.

Ventenata Grass

Provides very poor forage, contaminates hay crops, reduces small grain yields, reduces rangeland productivity and outcompetes most other native and…

Clusters of small white flowers with green foliage in the background.

Poison Hemlock

Poison Hemlock thrives in pastures, along streams, and irrigation ditches and in non-crop areas. Several livestock deaths are attributed each year to…

Yellow wildflowers with green foliage in a grassy setting.

Sulfur Cinquefoil

A problem in areas such as roadsides, pastures and in old fields. It is occassionally found in cultivated fields.

A close-up of green plants with small white flowers in a field setting.

Hoary Cress Whitetop

It forms dense patches that can completely dominate sites, restricting the growth of other species and degrading pastures. The species is not toxic to…

Bright green foliage with thin, spiky leaves and small pink buds scattered throughout.

Kochia

It thrives on pasture, rangelands, roadsides, ditch banks, wastelands and cultivated fields. Ability to rapidly develop resistance to herbicides.

Crook County Soil & Water Conservation District

Education