Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner    -    James R. Karels, Director

Cogongrass Treatment Pilot Cost-Share Program

2010 Program Materials

Sign-up Period ended July 1, 2010
Guidelines and Application Instructions: Required Forms:

A Pilot Cogongrass Treatment Cost-Share Program is offered to eligible non-industrial private landowners by the Division of Forestry (DOF) through temporary grants from the USDA Forest Service. The primary objective of this program is to reduce the spread of cogongrass to new areas by helping private landowners control or eradicate existing infestations. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica L.) is a non-native, invasive grass which is established in Florida and several other southeastern states. In addition to being regulated as a state and federal noxious weed, cogongrass is a pest plant in 73 countries, and has been recognized as one of the “Top 10 Worst Weeds in the World.” Cogongrass infestations negatively affect tree regeneration, growth, and survival, as well as wildlife habitat, native plant diversity, forage quality, and may affect property values. They also increase the risk of wildfires, and alter fire behavior.

Program Information

This program offers cost-share reimbursement for herbicide treatment of cogongrass infestations. Approved applicants are required to treat the infestations for two consecutive years. The program will reimburse 75% of the cost of treating cogongrass infestations over two consecutive years, up to a maximum of $100 per acre per year (or $100 per year for treatment of less than an acre), or $200 per acre over the two-year contract period. Please see the Technical Guidelines Booklet (pdf, 414k) for practice requirements and recommendations.

Due to funding limitations, this pilot program will accept applications only from 28 counties in north Florida: Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Nassau, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington Counties. If eligible applications exceed the available funds, first priority will be given to the fourteen counties bordering Alabama and Georgia: Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Nassau, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton. Higher priority will be given to applications to treat 5 acres or less of infested area.

Applying to the Program- NOTE: Sign-up Period ended July 1, 2010

To apply to the program, landowners should obtain the following documents from this web page or from a Florida Division of Forestry County Forester office:

Please follow the application instructions in the Technical Guidelines Booklet (pdf, 414k) carefully. Applications must first be submitted to the DOF County Forester in the county where the property is located (or other local DOF representative, if the County Forester position for that county is vacant). The County Forester will then make a site visit and assist with completing the application.  After receiving initial approval from the County Forester, applications for the 2010 program must be sent to the Florida DOF Forest Health Section office.

Applications postmarked by the end date will also be accepted.
The address is:
Pilot Cogongrass Treatment Cost-Share Program
c/o Jeffrey Eickwort
Florida Division of Forestry
1911 SW 34th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608

Applications received in Gainesville before the start date, or received (or postmarked) after the end date will not be considered, or will receive lowest priority ranking for any remaining available funds. All applications received at any time during sign-up period will be equally evaluated and ranked for funding approval using established criteria. The program is supported through temporary grants from the USDA Forest Service and limited funding is available.

Contacts

For more information on the Pilot Cogongrass Treatment Cost-Share Program, please contact:

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Division of Forestry Shield
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
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