Program can detect where a weed came from by plotting regional scale distribution patterns for sequential time intervals. Crop inspection, vehicle cleaning, and other regulatory actions could be used to reduce the transport of noxious weed seeds to new areas. Graphic plots of the cumulative number of counties reporting a weed over the year of the report combined with maps of the reported distribution suggest what type of regional scale strategic management might be most appropriate for that weed. Spread pattern plots, maps, and summary statistics and graphics derived from the database could be use to illustrate the extent and severity of the invasion process to lay decision makers who make budgetary and policy decisions. A shared database on weed distributions and spread rates could reduce the political aspects of listing weeds as noxious.
Distribution maps help identify possible multi-agency cooperators for weed management projects.