Noxious Weeds
Noxious weeds are a direct and growing threat to the native environment of Grand County. Our natural resource heritage depends on everyone’s involvement in managing the spread of noxious weeds.
Noxious weeds threaten the very reasons we live, work, and recreate in Colorado. Noxious weeds are non-native plant species that have been introduced into an environment with few, if any, natural biological controls, thus giving them a distinct competitive advantage in dominating and crowding out native plant species. They have the ability to dominate plant communities to the extent plant diversity and ecosystem integrity are threatened. Noxious weeds are aggressive, spread rapidly, possess a unique ability to reproduce profusely, and resist control. Noxious weeds also threaten the valuable wildlife habitat and natural resources that make Grand County unique. They cause economic hardships to agriculture producers and are a nuisance for recreational activities.
Establishment & Control
Noxious weeds become established in soils disturbed by a variety of activities such as construction, motorized vehicles, road maintenance, recreation, improper livestock grazing, and natural disturbances such as fire. Noxious weed seeds are transported to new sites in numerous ways such as wind, water, tires, people, as well as wild and domestic animals.
Grand County Division of Natural Resources (DNR) operates under a directive from the Colorado Department of Agriculture to control and reduce the spread of noxious weeds in Grand County. This includes all county owned property, road rights of way, and public lands. Grand County DNR is also focused on providing information and assistance to private land owners to help control the spread of noxious weeds.
Although there are over 80 species of noxious weeds on the Colorado list, Grand County has 20 species for which we manage.
Resources
Noxious weeds threaten the very reasons we live, work, and recreate in Colorado. Noxious weeds are non-native plant species that have been introduced into an environment with few, if any, natural biological controls, thus giving them a distinct competitive advantage in dominating and crowding out native plant species. They have the ability to dominate plant communities to the extent plant diversity and ecosystem integrity are threatened. Noxious weeds are aggressive, spread rapidly, possess a unique ability to reproduce profusely, and resist control. Noxious weeds also threaten the valuable wildlife habitat and natural resources that make Grand County unique. They cause economic hardships to agriculture producers and are a nuisance for recreational activities.
Establishment & Control
Noxious weeds become established in soils disturbed by a variety of activities such as construction, motorized vehicles, road maintenance, recreation, improper livestock grazing, and natural disturbances such as fire. Noxious weed seeds are transported to new sites in numerous ways such as wind, water, tires, people, as well as wild and domestic animals.
Grand County Division of Natural Resources (DNR) operates under a directive from the Colorado Department of Agriculture to control and reduce the spread of noxious weeds in Grand County. This includes all county owned property, road rights of way, and public lands. Grand County DNR is also focused on providing information and assistance to private land owners to help control the spread of noxious weeds.
Although there are over 80 species of noxious weeds on the Colorado list, Grand County has 20 species for which we manage.
Resources
- Grand County Licensed Weed Sprayers
- Grand County Noxious Weed Plan
- Bureau of Land Management
- Colorado Department of Agriculture
- Colorado Department of Transportation
- Colorado Division of Wildlife
- Colorado State Land Board
- Colorado Weed Management Association
- Grand County Division of Natural Resources
- Habitat Partnership Program
- Middle Park Soil Conservation Service
- Natural Resource Conservation Service
- United States Forest Service