The Humboldt Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area (HWCWMA) is organized and ready to do business. This group started two years ago. The Board of Directors were elected at a public meeting in 2002 for this weed management coalition for the Humboldt River watershed. Six persons were elected to organize the Board and initiate it's business affairs. Those elected were - Bret Glover, Elko; Mark Cocoa, Elko; Brad Schultz, Winnemucca; Carl Uhlig, Wells; Mike Mitchel, Battle Mountain and Dan Gralian, President, Carlin. Bret Glover resigned in the fall of 2003.

     The purpose of the HWCWMA is to acquire funding through grants from various sources for weed control projects along the Humboldt River and within its watershed. The money will be awarded to private landowners, weed control districts and Conservation Districts to do weed control and reclamation after the weeds are gone. The HWCWMA feels that by setting up as a non-profit, tax exempt business within the State of Nevada and by hiring someone who knows how to prepare grant proposals, and who can represent the group's interest to the private foundations that have money available, they can generate enough money to fund a significant weed control effort along the river.

     To date the HWCWMA has obtained a $20,000 grant from the Bureau of Reclamation. The HWCWMA plans to use the grant money as follows: 1) Office start-up; 2) RFP preparation, collection of proposals and selection of projects to compose grant proposal; 3) Search for prospective grantors, preparation and submission of grant proposal; and 4) Monitoring and audit of the use of granted funds. The HWCWMA has hired a part-time employee who will contact Weed Districts, Conservation Districts and other CWMA's for projects which in turn will be compiled into a grant proposal for submission in Spring 2004.