JACKSON, Wyo. —Jackson Hole Weed Management Association (JHWMA) and Teton County Weed and Pest (TCWP) are getting ready to launch this year’s Snake River Project in conjunction with Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C).

According to a press release from TCWP, the canines and handlers, along with rowers from JHWMA and TCWP, will be working in the Snake River from Moose to Wilson between Aug. 18 and Sept. 2. The teams will be scouring islands and gravel bars along the river to find invasive plant species that threaten the health of the river and surrounding ecosystem — specifically salt cedar and perennial pepperweed.

The public is invited to a demonstration at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to learn more about the invasive species and working dogs.

JHWMA and partner organizations formed the Snake River Project in 2001 after discovering salt cedar on the Snake River. The Snake River Project is an early detection and rapid response program that strives to protect the Upper Snake River Watershed from invasive species. Salt cedar and perennial pepperweed can grow aggressively in dense stands on riverbanks, blocking wildlife and recreation access as well as altering soil nutrient levels.

Frost, a working dog with WD4C, after finding a perennial pepperweed plant. Photo courtesy of Teton County Weed and Pest.

“For 24 years, the JHWMA and TCWP staff and crews have monitored the river and levee system for these high priority species and have found 124 salt cedar and 949 perennial pepperweed locations,” the statement reads. “Through the Snake River Project, salt cedar and perennial pepperweed were eradicated in 120 and 682 locations, respectively.”

In the late 2010s, a small but consistent number of detections continued, indicating a seed source that had been missed by human teams. In 2019, TCWP contacted WD4C to determine if their canines could be trained to locate the two plant species at hand. After several teams completed training trials in the field, WD4C joined the Snake River Project in 2020. Since then, the canine teams have discovered two new salt cedar locations and 190 new perennial pepperweed locations. One location is believed to be the seed sources for most of the plants found downstream.

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.