What is the city doing about the noxious weeds in open space?
The city has enacted a Noxious Weed Management Plan to meet the regulations established by the State of Colorado in the Noxious Weed Act. The plan stipulates that on any public property the city must implement measures to control noxious weeds. Currently there are 58 weed species on the State Noxious Weed List. This includes Canada Thistle and a recent invader, Mediterranean Sage. There are four types of weed control considered for use in open space: biological, chemical, mechanical and cultural. The city can turn insects loose on the weeds (biological), spray (chemical) or mow (mechanical). In addition, steps may be taken to encourage growth of favorable vegetation (cultural). Sometimes all the methods are used to gain a cumulative effect. The goal of the city is to keep the population of noxious weeds as low as possible by regularly treating existing infestations and eliminating new ones as soon as they are identified.
