Teton County Weed & Pest: Guardians of the Ecosystem

Help us celebrate PlayCleanGo Week this year from June 7–14!PlayCleanGo is a national campaign dedicated to protecting our wild lands from the spread of invasive species. It encourages outdoor recreationists to reduce the spread of dirt, seeds, and burs from noxious weeds during regular outdoor activities. The PlayCleanGo campaign works tirelessly to advocate for North America’s lands and waters by empowering people to take simple, proactive steps—like thoroughly cleaning mud and debris from gear, clothing, shoes, tires, and pets before and after outdoor adventures. Looking for inspiration on how you can protect public lands this summer? Follow us on social media throughout the week as we partner with conservation agencies across the country to share the top ways to #PlayCleanGo in our regions. When we commit to making small changes in how we prepare for and leave activities on public lands, we can make a big impact—preserving our parks, forests, rivers, lakes, and waterways for future generations to enjoy.

The 2025 Tick Blitz, held in Teton County on May 16–17, yielded impressive results! Our team was thrilled to work alongside dedicated community citizen scientists who volunteered their time to help advance our understanding of tick phenology and abundance locally. Check out the results from our two-day sprint to collect as many ticks as possible within 48 hours!

For this Weed of the Month, we’re calling out the black sheep of the cinquefoil family: the sulfur cinquefoil. Though there are desirable native cinquefoil species, the sulfur cinquefoil is a tenacious invader—it can push out native plants and even other invasive species! Luckily, we’ll help you come out on top.

Our research and work at Teton County Weed and Pest is fostering international connections! Following a recent NAISMA Conference, Entomologist, Mikenna Smith, was invited to expand our relationships with international scientists and tour research facilities at CABI Switzerland & BBCA (Biotechnology and Biological Control Agency) in Italy. ​Both CABI and BBCA are recognized leaders in invasive species management, respectively, with extensive credentials in biological control research and implementation. This trip, funded by the WWPC Bio Control Steering Committee & Teton County Weed & Pest District enabled our team to expand and foster meaningful relationships that benefit our work.